ABSTRACT
Objetivo: Determinar las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los pacientes con neurocisticercosis en un hospital general de Lima. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo en 225 pacientes con neurocisticercosis del Hospital María Auxiliadora entre los años 2002 y 2010. Se recogió información epidemiológica y clínica de las historias clínicas. Resultados: Se confirmaron 150/225 casos. El grupo etario más afectados fue de 20 a 64 años (49,3%) y menores de 14 años (27,4%). El 52% fueron mujeres. El 90% de los pacientes procedían de Lima. El 40% fueron estudiantes, 26% amas de casa, 8,7% obreros, 10% trabajadores rurales y 5,3% desempeñaban labores domésticas. Los síntomas más frecuentes fueron cefalea intensa sin respuesta al tratamiento (76%), convulsiones (74,7%) y pérdida de conciencia (43,3%). El 68,7% de pacientes fueron hospitalizados. Todos los pacientes recibieron tratamiento médico y el 19,3% terapia quirúrgica. Conclusiones: La neurocisticercosis se observó principalmente en la población económicamente activa, comprendida entre 20 y 64 años.
Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological features of patients with neurocysticercosis in a general hospital in Lima. Methods: Observational and descriptive study in 225 patients with neurocysticercosis at Hospital Maria Auxiliadora from 2002 to 2010. Information was gathered from the clinical charts. Results: 150 out of 225 cases were confirmed. The two most affected age groups were patients from 20-64 years of age (49.3%) and patients below 14 years (27.4%); 52% were females; 90% come from Lima; 40% were students; 26% were housewifes; 8.7% were labors; 10% were rural workers, and 5.3% were maidservants. The most frequent symptoms were headache unresponsive to treatment (76%), seizures (74.7%) and loss of conscious (43.3%); 68.7% of patients were admitted. All patients received medical treatment and 19.3% were treated surgically. Conclusions: Neurocysticercosis was mainly observed among the active economical population from 20 to 64 years of age.