Evaluation of role of steroid alone and with albendazole in patients of epilepsy with single-small enhancing computerized tomography lesions

Abstract

This study was planned to evaluate the role of steroid alone and with albendazole in patients of single-small enhancing computerized tomography (CT) lesions in Indian patients presenting with new-onset seizures. In this study, 95 patients with new onset seizures and a single enhancing CT lesion were randomly divided in two groups to receive either antiepileptic drug and steroid alone (n=42) or antiepileptic drug with a steroid and albendazole (n=48). These patients were prospectively followed-up for six months. Repeat CT scans were performed after 30 days and six months of registration. The majority of patients were below 30 years of age. Simple partial seizure, with or without secondary generalization, was the commonest type of seizure encountered in these patients. Follow-up CT scans, after one month of registration showed complete disappearance of lesion in 16.7% of patients in Group I and in 25% of patients in Group II (χ2 =0.93, P =0.334). Follow-up CT scans, after six months of registration showed complete disappearance of lesion in 59.5% of patients in Group I and in 68.8% of patients in Group II (χ2=0.83, P =0.362). During the six months follow-up five patients (11.8%) in Group I and nine patients (18.7%) in Group II experienced seizures recurrence. Two patients in Group II experienced seizure recurrence despite complete disappearance of CT lesions. Seizure control and disappearance of lesion was same in both Groups. Albendazole does not seem to affect resolution.

Keywords

• Albendazole
• computed tomography
• epilepsy
• neurocysticercosis
• outcome
• steroid