title: Three day albendazole therapy in patients with a solitary cysticercus granuloma: a randomized double blind placebo controlled study.
abstract: A solitary cysticercus granuloma is a benign form of neurocysticercosis. Several reports have suggested albendazole is effective in early resolution of these lesions. A short duration (7 days) albendazole therapy has been found to be effective in treatment. In this study, we evaluated a "three day course" of albendazole in a prospective randomized double- blind trial. Sixty-seven consecutive patients who presented with new-onset seizures and a solitary cysticercus granuloma were randomly allocated to receive either albendazole (15 mg/kg/day for 3 days) or placebo. All patients were treated with antiepileptic drugs. Patients were followed up for 6 months. A repeat CT of the brain was obtained at the end of 6 months of follow-up. The end points were complete resolution of the lesion on CT scan and total seizure control at 6 months follow-up. In the albendazole group complete resolution of lesions was noted in 28 of 33 patients (84.8%), while in the control group only 14 of 34 patients (41.2%) had complete resolution of the lesion (p = 0.001). Partial resolution of lesion was seen in 2 patients (6%) in the albendazole group and 4 patients (11.8%) in the control group (p = 0.06). The lesion remained unchanged in 9 cases (26.5%) in the control group only. The lesion became calcified in 7 (20.6%) and 3 (9.1%) patients in the control and albendazole groups, respectively (p = 0.187). Seizure recurrence occurred in 3 patients (9.1%) in the albendazole and 1 patient (2.9%) in the control group (p = 0.239). The three days course of albendazole was effective in resolving lesions, but there was no significant difference in seizure recurrence rates between the two treatment groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Rameshwar Nath
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Chaurasia
authors.forename: Ravindra Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Atul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwall
authors.forename: Neera
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kohli
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Maneesh Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shukla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000923:Anticestodal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000923:Anticestodal Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D015766:Albendazole