title: Comparison of prednisolone plus albendazole with prednisolone alone for treatment of patients with eosinophilic meningitis.
abstract: Corticosteroid and the combination of corticosteroid and antihelminthic drug are safe and beneficial in relieving headaches in patients with eosinophilic meningitis. However, clinical trials comparing the efficacies of these regimens have never been reported. We conducted a prospective, open, randomized, controlled study to compare the efficacy of the combination of prednisolone plus albendazole and prednisolone alone for the treatment of eosinophilic meningitis. Our study had 53 patients in the combined treatment group and 51 patients in the prednisolone alone group. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to the number of patients who still had headaches after 14 days (0 versus 1, respectively; P = 0.49) and the median length of time until complete disappearance of headache (3 versus 3 days, respectively; P = 0.32. Prednisolone plus albendazole is no better than prednisolone alone for treatment of patients with eosinophilic meningitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. chotmongkolverajit@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Verajit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chotmongkol
authors.forename: Suvicha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kittimongkolma
authors.forename: Kanigar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Niwattayakul
authors.forename: Pewpan M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Intapan
authors.forename: Yupa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Thavornpitak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D015766:Albendazole