Epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis

Abstract

We reviewed clinical, EEG, and CT findings of 203 patients with epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis. Seizures were generalized in 121 patients and partial in 82. Thirty-two patients had focal signs and eight had papilledema. Eighty-one had generalized and 16 had focal EEG abnormalities. CT showed parenchymal brain calcifications in 53 patients and cysts in 150. There was an increased rate of focal signs in patients with single cysts as compared with patients with multiple cysts, and focal EEG abnormalities were present only in patients with single cysts. Fifty patients were lost to follow-up. The remaining 153 patients were followed for 28 +/- 6 months; of these, 31 had calcifications and 122 had cysts. Anticonvulsants were started after the first visit in every patient. The 31 patients with calcifications remained free of seizures. Ninety-five of the 122 patients with cysts were also treated with anticysticercal drugs; of these, 79 (83%) had control of seizures. In contrast, only seven (26%) of 27 patients who did not receive anticysticercal drugs had control of seizures, indicating a strong correlation between the use of anticysticercal drugs and seizure control. Finally, of the 21 patients in whom anticonvulsants were withdrawn, 16 had relapses.

The role of the irritative zone and of the number and distribution of calcifications in the severity of epilepsy associated with intracranial calcifications

“…Indeed, seizure s may be a late manifestation of neuro c y s t i c e rcosis e v e n after adequate treatment, because cicatricial tissue remains as a permanent sequela 25,26 . Two retrospective studies published in 1992 found striking diff erences in the evolution of seizures in favor of antiparasitic treatment 6,27 , but in 1995 a controlled trial showed no diff e rences among patients treated with albendazole, praziquantel or cort i c o s t e roids alone 2 8 . In Brazil, however, the majority of patients diagnosed as having round intracranial calcifications on CT-s c a n images and epilepsy had never been submitted to therapy with praziquantel or albendazol 2 , 9 , 2 9 .…”

Seroprevalence of Taenia solium infections in Croatian patients presenting with epilepsy

“…Neurocysticercosis is considered the most common parasitic infection of the CNS and the main cause of epilepsy in the developing countries (Roman et al, 2000). Epileptic seizures are usually the only manifestation of this disease, and can be found in 50-80% of patients with parenchymal brain cysts or calcifications (Chopra et al, 1981, Del Bruto et al, 1992, Commision on Tropical Diseases, 1994).…”

Neurocysticercosis and epilepsy

“…EEGs were normal in more than 50% of patients. When present, the EEG abnormalities did not correlate with the semiology of the events (9).…”

“…Systematic collection of information regarding the type of seizures and epilepsy seen with NCC is lacking. The main source of information is the study of 203 patients with epilepsy, as a result of neurocysticercosis, from Ecuador (9). In this study, the most common type of seizures were generalized tonic-clonic.…”

“…Epilepsy is more frequently seen in patients with cysticerci located in the brain parenchyma, including deep cortical sulci (9). All the stages of involution may cause seizures; apparently the mechanisms involved in the generation of epileptogenicity are different.…”