Table 3.
Main methodological characteristics of randomized controlled trials included in the quantitative analysis (meta-analysis)
| Author/s. Year (Ref.no.) | Location Country | Objectivea | Study design | Trial time period | Participants | Sample size (N)b | No. Cysts | Patients characteristicsc | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bildik N, et al. 2007 [33] | Kartal-Istanbul, Turkey | To evaluate the efficacy of preoperative ABZ therapy | A randomized controlled trial | 1998–2003 | Patients with isolated hydatid cysts of the liver | 84 | 84 | Sex (M/F), 36/48 Range age (yr), (14–67) |
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| Group I | Group II | Group III | Group IV-control group | |||||||||
|
n = 21 No.cyst = 21 |
n = 21 No.cyst = 21 |
n = 21 No.cyst = 21 |
n = 21 No.cyst = 21 |
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| Cobo F, et al. 1998 [9] | Pamplona-Navarra, Spain | To compare the effects of a combined medication of ABZ plus PZQ vs ABZ alone in the preoperative treatment | A randomized controlled trial | 1990–1997 | Patients with intra-abdominal hydatidosis | 62 → 47 | No data | Group I | Group II | Group III | ||
| n Sex (M/F) Age (yr, mean ± SD[range]) Cyst/patient (mean[range]) |
19 → 12 6/6 47.9 (19–67) 1.17(1–3) |
17 → 14 11/3 51.1 (31–70) 1.57 (1–4) |
26 → 21 9/12 46.9 (18–75) 1.43 (1–5) |
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| Davis A, et al. 1986 [34] | WHO, Geneva, Switzerland | First phase: Studies coordinated by the WHO were conducted in seven clinical centers on the chemotherapy of human echinococcosis with MBZ, ABZ and FBZ. | A multicenter randomized clinical trials (5 clinical centers, Beirut, Paris, Rome, Sofia and Zurich) | 1982–1984 | Adults patients, mainly, only 7% below 15 years | 121 | 121 | MBZ | FBZ | ABZ | ||
|
n = 121 Sex (M/F) = 63/58 No.cyst = 402 |
85 38/47 348 |
6 3/3 18 |
30 22/8 36 |
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| Davis A, et al. 1989 [35] | WHO, Geneva, Switzerland | Second phase: To value the efficacy of ABZ and MBZ in human CE coordinated by WHO. | A multicenter randomized clinical trials (4 clinical centers, Beirut, Paris, Rome and Sofia) | 1985–1987 | Adults patients, mainly, only 4% below 15 years | 176 → 112 | 106 | ABZ | MBZ | |||
|
n = 112 Sex (M/F) = 47/65 Follow-up < 12 months = 44 Follow-up > 12 months = 68 No.cyst patients > 12 months = 106 |
67 27/40 21 46 76 |
45 20/25 23 22 30 |
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| Franchi C, et al. 1999 [36] | Rome, Italy | To evaluate the results obtained during long-term follow-up of a series of patients treated with benzimidazole carbamate | A randomized controlled trial | 1982–1997 | Patients with hydatidosis located in various body organs | 448 | 929 | Sex (M/F), 191/257 Age (yr, mean[range]), 52 (4–86) Follow-up (months, mean[range]), 22 (12–170) |
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| MBZ | ABZ | |||||||||||
| n No.cyst |
125 289 |
323 640 |
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| Gil-Grande LA, et al. 1993 [37] | Madrid, Spain | To assess the efficacy and safety of ABZ in a medical treatment | A randomized controlled trial | 1987–1991 | Patients with intra-abdominal hydatid disease | 66 → 55 | 55 | Group A | Group B | Control gr. | ||
| n Sex (M/F) Age (yr, mean ± SD) No.cyst |
18 10/8 41.7 ± 14.2 18 |
19 12/7 47.3 ± 13.9 19 |
18 9/9 41.2 ± 17.3 18 |
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| Keshmiri M, et al. 1999 [38] | Mashhad, Iran | To compare the effects of ABZ vs placebo in the treatment of hydatid cysts | A triple-blind parallel randomized clinical trial | 1994–1995 | Patients with hydatid cysts of the lung/pulmonary echinococcosis | 20All p. 15Treat. |
179All p. 150Treat. |
Treatment group | Placebo group | |||
| All p.d | Treat.d | All p.d | Treat.d | |||||||||
| n Sex (M/F) Age (yr, mean ± SD) No.cyst Cyst/patient |
14 8/6 41 ± 15 137 12.2 ± 13.4 |
11 5/6 40 ± 17 124 16.3 ± 13.9 |
6 3/3 39 ± 17 42 10.8 ± 13.7 |
4 3/1 45 ± 17 26 8.8 ± 7.6 |
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| Keshmiri M, et al. 2001 [39] | Mashhad, Iran | To evaluate the effect of ABZ on hydatid disease | A double-blind parallel-group randomized clinical trial | 1994–1995 | Patients with hydatid cysts of the lung and abdomen (including liver) | 29All p. 21Treat. |
240 All p. 203Treat. |
Treatment group | Placebo group | |||
| All p.d | Treat.d | All p.d | Treat.d | |||||||||
| n Sex (M/F) Age (yr, mean ± SD) No.cyst Cyst/patient |
22 11/11 41.4 ± 15.9 191 8.6 ± 9.0 |
17 7/10 40.5 ± 17.3 172 9.8 ± 9.9 |
7 4/3 35.4 ± 18.3 49 7.1 ± 6.5 |
4 3/1 45.5 ± 17.4 31 7.8 ± 6.1 |
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| Khuroo MS, et al. 1993 [40] | Srinagar, Kashmir, India | To compare the safety and efficacy of percutaneous drainage (PD) with ABZ therapy | A randomized controlled trial | 1989–1992 | Patients with hepatic hydatid cysts | 30 | 33 | PD | ABZ-PD | ABZ | ||
| n Sex (M/F) Age (yr, mean ± SD) (Range age) No.cyst Size Ø (cm, mean ± SD) Volume (cm3, mean ± SD) |
10 4/6 36.7 ± 12.3 (12–55) 10 9.2 ± 4.4 686 ± 651 |
10 3/7 41.3 ± 14.9 (12–64) 12 10.8 ± 3.0 835 ± 528 |
10 4/6 39.5 ± 14.4 (18–60) 11 8.8 ± 4.5 642 ± 717 |
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| Mohamed AE, et al. 1998 [8] | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | To evaluate the effect of different regimens of medical treatment | Two prospective randomized intervention studies | 1st study, 1985–1990 2nd study, 1990–1998 |
Adult Saudi patients with hydatid disease at the Armed Forces Hospital | 1st, 22 2nd, 19, Total,41 |
No data | 1st, ALB | 2nd, ABZ+PZQ | |||
| n = 22 | n = 19 | |||||||||||
| Shams-UI-Bari, et al. 2011 [41] | Srinagar, Kashmir, India | To assess the effect of preoperative ABZ therapy on the viability of protoscoleces at the time of surgery | A randomized controlled trial | 2002–2003 + follow-up 5 years | Patients with diagnosis of hydatid liver disease | 72 | 72 | Sex (M/F), 39/33 Range age (yr), (17–66) |
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| Group A-Surgery | Group B-ABZ+surg+ABZ | |||||||||||
| n Sex (M/F) Age (yr, mean ± SD[range]) No.cyst |
36 19/17 36.75 ± 11.34(16–64) 36 |
36 20/16 36.78 ± 11.79(17–62) 36 |
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aABZ Albendazole, PZQ Praziquantel, MBZ Mebendazol, FBZ Flubendazole
bN start of the study→N the end of the study
cM/F, Male/Female ratio
dAll patients, Completed treatment