title: Efficacy of aspiration in amebic liver abscess.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amebic liver abscess (ALA) is a common and serious problem in our country. There are only a few controlled trials on the efficacy and advantages of combination therapy with percutaneous needle aspiration and pharmacotherapy, over pharmacotherapy alone for amebic liver abscess.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of two different treatment modalities i.e. drug treatment alone vs. drug treatment and aspiration of abscess cavity in patients with small (up to 5 cm) and large (5 cm to 10 cm) size ALA. This is one of the largest single center, prospective, randomized studies comparing the efficacy of aspiration in ALA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (i) Mean body temperature, liver tenderness, total leukocyte count (TLC), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and liver span were significantly decreased in the aspiration group on days 8 and 15 as compared to non-aspiration group especially in large abscess (5 cm to 10 cm). (ii) Abscess cavity maximum diameter decreased significantly in aspiration group on days 8 and 15, and 1 month & 3 months in large abscess (5cm to 10 cm).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (i) Needle aspiration along with metronidazole hastens clinical improvement especially in large (5 cm up to 10 cm) cavities in patients with ALA. (ii) Aspiration is safe and no major complications occurred. (iii) Hence, combination therapy should be the first choice especially in large ALA (5 cm to 10 cm).
authors: Jayant Kumar
authors: JK
authors: Ghosh
authors: Sundeep Kumar
authors: SK
authors: Goyal
authors: Manas Kumar
authors: MK
authors: Behera
authors: Manish Kumar
authors: MK
authors: Tripathi
authors: Vinod Kumar
authors: VK
authors: Dixit
authors: Ashok Kumar
authors: AK
authors: Jain
authors: Ramchandra
authors: R
authors: Shukla
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009929:Organ Size; D019152:Paracentesis / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D008795:Metronidazole; D000410:Alanine Transaminase