Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32171260›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2020

Quantitative assessment of lesion load and efficacy of 3 cycles of albendazole in disseminated cysticercosis: a prospective evaluation.

Sudhakar Pandey, Hardeep Singh Malhotra, Ravindra Kumar Garg, Kiran Preet Malhotra, Neeraj Kumar, Imran Rizvi, Amita Jain, Neera Kohli, Rajesh Verma, Praveen Sharma and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 14% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sudhakar PandeyDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Hardeep Singh MalhotraDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India. drhsmalhotra@yahoo.com.
Ravindra Kumar GargDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Kiran Preet MalhotraDepartment of Pathology, R.M.L. Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226010, India.
Neeraj KumarDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Imran RizviDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Amita JainDepartment of Microbiology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Neera KohliDepartment of Radiodiagnosis, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Rajesh VermaDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Praveen SharmaDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Ravi UniyalDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
Shweta PandeyDepartment of Neurology, King George's Medical University, U.P, Lucknow, 226003, India.
King George's Medical University · INDr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences · IN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe management of disseminated cysticercosis is unclear and largely considered hazardous. The role of albendazole remains controversial in such patients.

methodsA tertiary care, University hospital-based prospective intervention study was conducted from December 2015 to December 2017. Patients with disseminated cysticercosis, defined as the presence of multiple viable neurocysticerci (≥ 3) in the brain along with involvement of an additional extra site, were included in the study. Patients with cysticercal encephalitis were excluded. A detailed evaluation, including ophthalmoscopy, ocular B scans, ultrasound abdomen, and X-rays were done. Albendazole was administered at a dose of 15 mg/kg/day in 3 cycles of 28 days each. All patients were also given adjuvant corticosteroids and anti-epileptic drugs. Clinical and radiological follow up was carried out at a difference of 3 months between each treatment cycle. For radiological quantification, lesions were counted at 10 pre-specified levels. Statistical analysis was done to estimate the difference in seizure frequency and lesion load.

resultsTwenty-nine patients (21 with > 20 lesions; 8 with ≤ 20 lesions) were given albendazole as per the protocol. There was a significant reduction in the occurrence of seizures (P < 0.001) and headache (P < 0.001). A significant reduction in lesion load from baseline to third follow-up was seen in the estimations done at different levels (P < 0.001). No patient developed serious side-effect warranting cessation of therapy.

conclusionCyclical use of albendazole appears efficacious in treating disseminated cysticercosis. The method of quantification described may be used in future studies for objective assessment.

trial registrationISRCTN11630542; 28th September 2019; Retrospectively registered.

Indexed as

Parasite LoadAdolescentAdrenal Cortex HormonesAdultAlbendazoleAnimalsAnthelminticsAnticonvulsantsBrainChildCysticercusDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHeadacheHumansAdrenal Cortex HormonesAlbendazoleAnthelminticsAnticonvulsantsAlbendazoleCorticosteroidsDisseminated cysticercosisLesion loadNeurocysticercosis

Identifiers

PMID32171260
PMCPMC7071677
OpenAlexW3011809959

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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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.