Disseminated neurocysticercosis Infections and Infestations Cysticercosis of central nervous system
Conditions
Interventions
Antiepileptic drugs were prescribed to all the patients. Oxcarbazepine at a dose of 10-15 mg/kg/day was used as the first-line antiepileptic drug. If the control over seizures was neither obtained nor
it was deemed that appropriate therapeutic levels of oxcarbazepine would have been achieved by this time. The patients were administered albendazole after excluding those with cysticercal encephalitis
each cycle was of 28 days and the difference of 3 months between the two evaluations was calculated from the last tapered dose of oral methylprednisolone. The protocol warranted discontinuation of alb
oral methylprednisolone, however, was to be continued to manage the complications arising from the release of antigens. In severe cases, intravenous dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg of body weight, maximum 30
Sponsors
King George's Medical University
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: All consecutive patients diagnosed with disseminated cysticercosis were included in the study. A diagnosis of cysticercosis was made on the basis of the established diagnostic criteria. Disseminated cysticercosis was defined as the presence of multiple (= 3) cystic viable lesions in the brain, along with evidence of involvement of at least one extra site, like subcutaneous tissues, skeletal muscles, eyes, or presence in any visceral organ.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Patients with disseminated cysticercosis having features suggestive of cysticercal encephalitis. Cysticercal encephalitis was diagnosed if the patient had signs of raised intracranial pressure, like papilledema, severe headache, altered sensorium, heavy first-contact lesion load, and generalized cerebral edema 2. Patients with malignancy, tuberculosis, hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus positivity, human immunodeficiency virus infection, hepatic involvement, focus of any pyogenic infection, and pregnancy 3. Patients with a known hypersensitivity to albendazole in childhood, or those who had been administered albendazole, with or without corticosteroids, in the past 6 months
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Assessed thrice after enrolment at a difference of 3 months, each calculated from the completion of an individual cycle: 1. Frequency of seizures noted as individual events as reported by the patient or the observer 2. Intracranial lesion load in patients with >20 lesions and those with =20 lesions measured using MRI of the brain with GAD-contrast | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Other clinical parameters (palpable/visible subcutaneous lesions), and laboratory assessment (hemogram, liver function tests, kidney function tests, blood sugar) assessed thrice after enrolment at a difference of 3 months, calculated from the end of an individual regime | — |
Countries
India
Outcome results
None listed