ABSTRACT
Background: There is a paucity of literature to support 14-days albendazole therapy for neurocysticercosis (NCC). Objective: To compare the efficacy of 14-day and 28-day albendazole therapy in the management of children with newly diagnosed active NCC. Study design: Open-labelled randomized controlled trial Participants: Children aged 1-14 years with newly diagnosed active neurocysticercosis. Intervention: Albendazole (15 mg/kg/day) for either 14 days or 28 days. Outcome: The primary outcome measure was proportion of children with radiological resolution of active lesion at 6-month follow up. Secondary outcome measures were proportion of children with seizure recurrence, duration to seizure recurrence and calcification on follow up imaging. Results: 65 children with newly diagnosed NCC were randomized to receive albendazole therapy for 14 days (n=32) or 28 days (n=33). The proportion of children with complete resolution was comparable between the two groups [6 (18.8%) vs. 9 (27.3%); OR (95%CI):0.61 (0.19 to 1.98); P=0.56]. Similarly, proportion of children with seizure recurrence [5(15.6%) vs 2(6.1%); OR (95%CI): 2.87(0.51-16.0); P=0.26] and proportion of children with calcification on follow-up imaging [26(81.2%) vs 23(69.7%); OR (95%CI): 1.88 (0.59-5.99); P=0.39] were also comparable. There were no major side-effects noted during the study. Conclusion: 14-day treatment with albendazole therapy is as effective as 28-day treatment in achieving radiological resolution at six-month follow up. However, high rate of calcification in both the groups indicates need for further evaluation with an adequately powered study and longer follow up
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate relationship between serum magnesium and course of diabetes mellitus and also to find out, if there is any relation between serum magnesium and various complications of diabetes mellitus. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship between serum magnesium in 50 type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients with or without complications and 40 normal healthy persons. Serum magneisum estimation was done using calmagite dye method using autoanalyser (Beckman DU clin systems). Serum magnesium levels in diabetic population was significantly low (1.93 +/- 0.282 meq/l) in comparison to control (2.25 +/- 0.429 meq/l). It was statistically significant (+3.84; p < 0.005). Serum magnesium was significantly low in diabetes with complication than without complications (p < 0.001). Duration of diabetes and serum magnesium were inversely related. Poor glycaemic control was associated with hypomagnesaemia (-2.623; p < 0.05). There was strong association between hypomagnesaemia and retinopathy (1.76 +/- 0.26), obesity (1.878 +/- 0.326) and hypertension (1.75 +/- 0.071) and it was statistically significantly (p < 0.005, 0.042, 0.000 respectively). Hence it is concluded that the change in serum magnesium level may have a bearing on the complication and morbidity in patients of diabetes mellitus.