De Souza 2009.
| Methods | Randomized controlled trial Duration: participants enrolled between May 2002 and October 2003 and followed up for up to 64 months (mean 31 months) |
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| Participants | Number: 123 enrolled, 103 included in the analysis (59 male, 44 female) Inclusion criteria: all patients presenting with new onset focal or generalized seizures with MRI‐confirmed solitary cysticercal lesion in the brain parenchyma Exclusion criteria: past history of epilepsy, received albendazole or praziquantel in the past, evidence of other lesions on CT or MRI, significant neurological deficits, raised intracranial pressure or seizures refractory to acute treatment Types of lesion: non‐viable |
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| Interventions | Group 1: Anti‐epileptic drugs only Group 2: Anti‐epileptic drugs plus albendazole 15 mg per kg bodyweight per day for 28 days |
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| Outcomes | Included in the review: time to becoming seizure‐free; total number of seizures from onset of illness until the last visit; duration of anti‐epileptic drug therapy; number of months seizure free at the last visit; number of months taken off anti‐epileptic drugs at last visit; disappearance of calcification of cysts Not included in the review: types of seizure; mean cyst area; perilesional oedema |
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| Notes | Location: India Source of funding: Indian Council for Medical Research |
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| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Adequate sequence generation? | Low risk | Quote: "The patients were randomised to two groups by means of a random number table" Decision: done |
| Allocation concealment? | Unclear risk | Not described Decision: unclear |
| Blinding? All outcomes | Unclear risk | Not described. Placebos not used Decision: unclear, probably not done |
| Incomplete outcome data addressed? All outcomes | Low risk | Of 123 participants recruited, 103 (84%) had a minimum follow up of 12 months, and so were included. It was stated that the demographic profile, seizure type and MRI findings in the 20 excluded participants did not differ from those included. |
| Free of selective reporting? | Low risk | No evidence of selective reporting |
| Free of other bias? | Low risk | No evidence of other bias |