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

Matthaiou, DK; Panos, G; Adamidi, ES; Falagas, ME

dc.contributor.author	Matthaiou, DK	en
dc.contributor.author	Panos, G	en
dc.contributor.author	Adamidi, ES	en
dc.contributor.author	Falagas, ME	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:27:50Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:27:50Z
dc.date.issued	2008	en
dc.identifier.issn	1935-2735	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/18605
dc.subject.other	albendazole	en
dc.subject.other	analgesic agent	en
dc.subject.other	anticonvulsive agent	en
dc.subject.other	antiemetic agent	en
dc.subject.other	corticosteroid	en
dc.subject.other	praziquantel	en
dc.subject.other	article	en
dc.subject.other	clinical trial	en
dc.subject.other	Cochrane Library	en
dc.subject.other	confidence interval	en
dc.subject.other	controlled clinical trial	en
dc.subject.other	data analysis	en
dc.subject.other	drug efficacy	en
dc.subject.other	drug safety	en
dc.subject.other	human	en
dc.subject.other	incidence	en
dc.subject.other	information retrieval	en
dc.subject.other	intracranial hypertension	en
dc.subject.other	MEDLINE	en
dc.subject.other	meta analysis	en
dc.subject.other	neurocysticercosis	en
dc.subject.other	outcome assessment	en
dc.subject.other	randomized controlled trial	en
dc.subject.other	risk assessment	en
dc.subject.other	seizure	en
dc.subject.other	systematic review	en
dc.subject.other	Taenia solium	en
dc.subject.other	variance	en
dc.subject.other	treatment outcome	en
dc.subject.other	Albendazole	en
dc.subject.other	Clinical Trials as Topic	en
dc.subject.other	Humans	en
dc.subject.other	Neurocysticercosis	en
dc.subject.other	Praziquantel	en
dc.subject.other	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic	en
dc.subject.other	Treatment Outcome	en
dc.title	Albendazole versus praziquantel in the treatment of neurocysticercosis: A meta-analysis of comparative trials	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1371/journal.pntd.0000194	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000194	en
heal.identifier.secondary	e194	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2008	en
heal.abstract	Background: Neurocysticercosis, 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 Findings: We 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. Conclusions: A 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. © 2088 Matthaiou et al.	en
heal.publisher	PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE	en
heal.journalName	PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1371/journal.pntd.0000194	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000261806600015	en
dc.identifier.volume	2	en
dc.identifier.issue	3	en