Efficacy and safety of antiparasitic therapy for neurocysticercosis in rural Tanzania: a prospective cohort study.
Infection
; 51(4): 1127-1139, 2023 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36961623
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
Neurocysticercosis is common in regions endemic for Taenia solium. Active-stage neurocysticercosis can be treated with antiparasitic medication, but so far no study on efficacy and safety has been conducted in Africa.METHODS:
We conducted a prospective cohort study on treatment of neurocysticercosis in Tanzania between August 2018 and January 2022. Patients were initially treated with albendazole (15 mg/kg/d) for 10 days and followed up for 6 months. Additionally in July 2021, all participants who then still had cysts were offered a combination therapy consisting of albendazole (15 mg/kg/d) and praziquantel (50 mg/kg/d). Antiparasitic treatment was accompanied by corticosteroid medication and anti-seizure medication if the patient had experienced epileptic seizures before treatment.RESULTS:
Sixty-three patients were recruited for this study, of whom 17 had a complete follow-up after albendazole monotherapy. These patients had a total of 138 cysts at baseline, of which 58 (42%) had disappeared or calcified by the end of follow-up. The median cyst reduction was 40% (interquartile range 11-63%). Frequency of epileptic seizures reduced considerably (p < 0.001). Three patients had all active cysts resolved or calcified and of the remaining 14, eight received the combination therapy which resolved 63 of 66 cysts (95%). Adverse events were infrequent and mild to moderate during both treatment cycles.CONCLUSION:
Cyst resolution was unsatisfactory with albendazole monotherapy but was very high when it was followed by a combination of albendazole and praziquantel.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Neurocisticercose
/
Cistos
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Anti-Helmínticos
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
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Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Infection
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Alemanha