Abstract
No trials to date have focused on long-term seizure outcome in solitary cerebral cysticercal
lesion (SCCL), which is believed to produce a relatively benign form of epilepsy.
This is a prospective randomized controlled study to evaluate the effect of Albendazole
on long-term seizure outcome in patients with MRI-confirmed solitary cerebral cysticercal
lesion (SCCL). One hundred and twenty-three patients with new-onset seizures and SCCL
on contrast MRI were randomized to treatment with albendazole and followed for up
to five years with serial MRI and clinical evaluation. At final analysis 103 patients
(M-54, F-49) with a mean age of 18.6±10.7 years and follow-up period more than 12 months were included. The mean follow-up
duration was 31.4±14.8 months (12–64). At one month follow-up more patients receiving albendazole were
seizure-free (62% versus 49% for controls). Subsequently there was no significant
difference in overall seizure outcome between the two groups. There was no correlation
between seizure semiology, albendazole therapy and long-term seizure outcome. Baseline
MRI showed active lesions in all; 23% remained active at 12 months with no difference
between the albendazole and control groups. Patients whose lesions resolved at 12 months
showed better seizure outcome. Reduction in mean cyst area was greater in the albendazole
group as compared to the controls and the difference at six months was significant
(p<0.05). At three months follow-up perilesional edema also resolved faster in albendazole
group (p<0.05). Thus, albendazole did not alter the long-term seizure outcome in patients with
SCCL and epilepsy. However, albendazole hastened resolution of SCCL on MRI, but interestingly
23% of lesions were still active 12 months after treatment.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 11,
2008
Received in revised form:
September 3,
2008
Received:
May 22,
2008
Footnotes
☆Funding: The present study was funded by Indian Council for Medical Research. Only the serial MRI scans were funded by the research council. No. SWG/Neuro/7/2001-NCD-I.
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
