Evidence map›Paper›PMID 18335068›Full record

SynthesisPLoS neglected tropical diseases2008

Albendazole versus praziquantel in the treatment of neurocysticercosis: a meta-analysis of comparative trials.

Dimitrios K Matthaiou, Georgios Panos, Eleni S Adamidi, Matthew E Falagas

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
30citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

30 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.

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  15. Albendazole Sulfoxide Plasma Levels and Efficacy of Antiparasitic Treatment in Patients With Parenchymal Neurocysticercosis.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2019
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Dimitrios K MatthaiouAlfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), Athens, Greece.
Georgios Panos
Eleni S Adamidi
Matthew E Falagas
Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences · GRNational Technical University of Athens · GRTufts University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeurocysticercosis, infection of the brain with larvae of Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), is one of several forms of human cysticercosis caused by this organism. We investigated the role of albendazole and praziquantel in the treatment of patients with parenchymal neurocysticercosis by performing a meta-analysis of comparative trials of their effectiveness and safety. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL

findingsWe performed a search in the PubMed database, Cochrane Database of Controlled Trials, and in references of relevant articles. Six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Albendazole was associated with better control of seizures than praziquantel in the pooled data analysis, when the generic inverse variance method was used to combine the incidence of seizure control in the included trials (patients without seizures/[patients x years at risk]) (156 patients in 4 studies, point effect estimate [incidence rate ratio] = 4.94, 95% confidence interval 2.45-9.98). In addition, albendazole was associated with better effectiveness than praziquantel in the total disappearance of cysts (335 patients in 6 studies, random effects model, OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.06-5.00). There was no difference between albendazole and praziquantel in reduction of cysts, proportion of patients with adverse events, and development of intracranial hypertension due to the administered therapy.

conclusionsA critical review of the available data from comparative trials suggests that albendazole is more effective than praziquantel regarding clinically important outcomes in patients with neurocysticercosis. Nevertheless, given the relative scarcity of trials, more comparative interventional studies--especially randomized controlled trials--are required to draw a safe conclusion about the best regimen for the treatment of patients with parenchymal neurocysticercosis.

Indexed as

AlbendazoleClinical Trials as TopicHumansNeurocysticercosisPraziquantelRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAlbendazolePraziquantel

Identifiers

PMID18335068
PMCPMC2265431
OpenAlexW2010374733

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.