title: Comparison of 1 week versus 4 weeks of albendazole therapy in single small enhancing computed tomography lesion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The appropriate duration of albendazole therapy in neurocysticercosis is uncertain. The observation in small uncontrolled randomized trials in children that short-course therapy (1 week) is as effective as the conventional regimen (4weeks) must be tested.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of 1 and 4 weeks of albendazole therapy in children with single small enhancing computed tomographic lesion (SSECTL).
  
  
  METHODS
  An open-labeled, randomized, clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty children with SSECTLs presenting with seizure.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were assigned to two groups using random tables: group A (n=58) received albendazole for 1 week and group B (n=62) for 4 weeks. All the subjects were followed up for 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportions of subjects with complete resolution of lesion in the two groups were similar (group A 63.8% versus group B 51.6%). The proportion of subjects in the two groups in whom the lesion calcified on follow up (group A 19% versus group B 24.2%) also did not differ significantly. The incidence of seizure recurrence during the 6-month follow-up period was also similar in both the groups (group A 9.6% versus group B 3.4%, P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One week of albendazole therapy is as effective as 4 weeks of therapy in children with SSECTLs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Government Multi Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, Chandigarh- 160 015, India.
authors.forename: Prabhjeet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Praveena
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dhiman
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dhawan
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nijhawan
authors.forename: Sadbhavna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandit
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D050257:Tubulin Modulators; D015766:Albendazole