Effects of 2 Different Duration of Albendazole Therapy in Patients With Neurocysticercosis in Brain ≤ 5 Lesions on CT

A Clinical Trial to Study the Effects of Two Different Duration of Same Drug Albendazole in Patients With Neurocysticercosis in Brain ≤ 5 Lesions on CT Scan Head at the End of 6 Months

Comparing the effect of two different duration of same drug albendazole in patients with Neurocysticercosis less than or equal to 5 lesions on CT head at the end of 6 months.

The trial will be comparing the effectiveness of short and long duration of albendazole ie 7 and 28 days therapy in patients with parenchymal neurocysticercosis in terms of complete resolution or calcification of cyst on CT head at the end of 6 months after starting albendazole

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 2-18 years.
• Number of parenchymal lesions: upto 5*
• Stages of cysticerci at which albendazole treatment is effective
• Vesicular stage
• Colloid vesicular stage
• Granular nodular stage

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cysticercotic encephalitis
• Calcified cyst
• Hydrocephalus
• Intraventricular cyst
• Subarachnoid cyst
• Ophthalmic Cysticercosis
• No of cysts >5
• Known allergy to benzimidazole class of compound which includes anaphylaxis, hypotension, severe skin reactions .
• Features of raised ICT (papilloedema, hyperventilation, hypertension, tonic posturing, B/L 6th nerve palsy, features of midline shift on CT/MRI)
• Critically sick (respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability)
• Already received albendazole or praziquantel or steroid therapy