BACKGROUND: A combination of albendazole and praziquantel was more effective than albendazole alone in destroying Taenia cysts in an animal model. There are no such studies in humans. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of albendazole and praziquantel in children with seizures and single small enhancing computerized tomographic lesions. STUDY TYPE: Prospective, interventional, randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial at a tertiary hospital in North India. SUBJECTS: : One hundred twelve children with seizures for <3 months and single lesion neurocysticercosis; 9 lost to follow-up. INTERVENTION: All children received albendazole (15 mg/kg/d) for 7 days with either praziquantel or placebo (75 mg/kg/d) for 1 day according to random allocation. Repeat CT scans were done after 1, 3, and 6 months. All children were followed up for at least 6 months. RESULTS: Fifty-three children received praziquantel (group A) and 50 placebo (group B). Complete resolution of lesions was seen in 60% and 72% of children at 3 and 6 months in group A versus 42% and 52% of children in group B. Nonresolution and calcification were higher in group B than in group A at 3 months (B: 28%, 14%; A: 12%, 8%) and 6 months (B: 16%, 22%; A: 6%, 9%), but the differences were not statistically significant. Seizure control and side effects were similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: A combination therapy for albendazole and praziquantel was statistically comparable to sole therapy with albendazole in eradicating lesions and preventing seizures.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: A combination of albendazole and praziquantel was more effective than albendazole alone in destroying Taenia cysts in an animal model. There are no such studies in humans. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of albendazole and praziquantel in children with seizures and single small enhancing computerized tomographic lesions. STUDY TYPE: Prospective, interventional, randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial at a tertiary hospital in North India. SUBJECTS: : One hundred twelve children with seizures for <3 months and single lesion neurocysticercosis; 9 lost to follow-up. INTERVENTION: All children received albendazole (15 mg/kg/d) for 7 days with either praziquantel or placebo (75 mg/kg/d) for 1 day according to random allocation. Repeat CT scans were done after 1, 3, and 6 months. All children were followed up for at least 6 months. RESULTS: Fifty-three children received praziquantel (group A) and 50 placebo (group B). Complete resolution of lesions was seen in 60% and 72% of children at 3 and 6 months in group A versus 42% and 52% of children in group B. Nonresolution and calcification were higher in group B than in group A at 3 months (B: 28%, 14%; A: 12%, 8%) and 6 months (B: 16%, 22%; A: 6%, 9%), but the differences were not statistically significant. Seizure control and side effects were similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: A combination therapy for albendazole and praziquantel was statistically comparable to sole therapy with albendazole in eradicating lesions and preventing seizures.
Authors: S Mahanty; A Paredes; M Marzal; E Gonzalez; S Rodriguez; P Dorny; C Guerra-Giraldez; H H Garcia; T Nash Journal: Antimicrob Agents Chemother Date: 2010-11-01 Impact factor: 5.191
Authors: Lucía Alvela-Suárez; Virginia Velasco-Tirado; Moncef Belhassen-Garcia; Ignacio Novo-Veleiro; Javier Pardo-Lledías; Angela Romero-Alegría; Luis Pérez del Villar; María Paz Valverde-Merino; Miguel Cordero-Sánchez Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2014-03-10 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Hector H Garcia; Isidro Gonzales; Andres G Lescano; Javier A Bustos; Mirko Zimic; Diego Escalante; Herbert Saavedra; Martin Gavidia; Lourdes Rodriguez; Enrique Najar; Hugo Umeres; E Javier Pretell Journal: Lancet Infect Dis Date: 2014-07-03 Impact factor: 25.071