Severe forms of neurocysticercosis: treatment with albendazole

Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 1996 Mar;54(1):82-93. doi: 10.1590/s0004-282x1996000100014.

Abstract

Study of 22 patients with the severe form of neurocysticercosis treated with albendazole (ABZ) administered in 6 different schedules ranging from 15 to 30 mg/kg/day for 21 to 60 days. Dextrochloropheniramine and ketoprofen were the adjuvant drugs. Multiple symptoms were observed in 90.9% of patients. Intracranial hypertension was manifested in 90.9%. Hydrocephaly occurred in 86.4%. Evolution was satisfactory in 10 patients, 8 died and 4 had sequelae. Tomographic studies showed the appearance of an isolated IVth ventricle in 9 patients, after ventriculoperitoneal shunt, before ABZ treatment in 3 of them, during in 5 and after treatment in one. Median clinical follow-up duration was 10 months for the patients who died and 3-4 years for survivors. In 3 patients there was an increase in cyst size during the administration of the 15 mg/kg/day ABZ dose, which was not observed in any patient when the 30 mg/kg/day dose was used.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Albendazole / therapeutic use*
  • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use*
  • Brain Diseases / diagnosis
  • Brain Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Brain Diseases / parasitology*
  • Chlorpheniramine
  • Cysticercosis / diagnosis
  • Cysticercosis / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Ketoprofen / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • dexchlorpheniramine
  • Chlorpheniramine
  • Ketoprofen
  • Albendazole