Albendazole and praziquantel treatment in neurocysticercosis of the fourth ventricle

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the therapeutic efficacy of albendazole and praziquantel administration in the treatment of neurocysticercosis of the fourth ventricle. The authors report the results obtained in 10 patients with cystic neurocysticercosis of the fourth ventricle who were treated with albendazole at a dosage of 15 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. Because of the failure of albendazole treatment, two of the patients received an additional course of praziquantel at a dosage of 100 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. A total of 16 courses of albendazole and two courses of praziquantel were administered to the 10 patients. In eight patients (80%), there was complete disappearance of the cyst, in one other (10%) there was an important decrease in the size of the cyst, and in one (10%), no change was seen. None of the patients had complications during the follow-up period of between 6 and 26 months (average 15.7 months). The authors postulate that a regimen of albendazole is the treatment of choice for this type of neurocysticercosis, although praziquantel may also be useful.

Spinal cord cysticercosis: neurosurgical aspects

“…39 The best treatment-surgical or medical-in patients with giant, intraventricular, or subarachnoid forms of NCC remains unknown. 1,5,19,32,34,35 Surgical treatment, with excision of the cysticerci after laminectomy, is still indicated in cases of spinal cord or radicular compression by free cysts. In symptomatic patients with intramedullary cysts, surgery is commonly indicated for decompression of the spinal cord as well as to clarify diagnosis.…”

Therapy for neurocysticercosis

“…However, in some patients there is persistence of cysts and consequently, no clinical benefit after repeated courses of ALB, PZQ or sequential use of both drugs [34,50,51].…”

A Case of Neurocysticercosis in Entire Spinal Level

“…The efficacy of medical therapy with praziquantel or albendazole is well described in a number of cases by various authors with the resolution of neurological deficits 12) . Albendazole may be more effective than praziquantel 6) .…”

“…The disease may have a pleomorphic quality that is related to individual differences in the number and location of the lesions within the CNS 4,12) . In an older study, the authors reported that 30% also had intracerebral involvement in patients afflicted with spinal cysticercosis, whereas in a more recent study the authors noted 100% concurrent intracere- .…”