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Biomedical subjects

F Escobedo

Publications and source records attributed to F Escobedo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Neurocysticercosis: validity of ELISA after storage of whole blood and cerebrospinal fluid on paper.

Cysticercosis is an infestation of Cysticercus cellulosae. When it occurs in the brain, chronic neurological complications can ensue, most commonly seizures. Neurocysticercosis is usually diagnosed by neuroimaging, a technique not available in most endemic countries. Hence immunological tests are valuable for diagnosis and epidemiological surveys. We evaluated the suitability of paper for storing blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) until subsequent testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), by testing whole blood samples on filter paper from 305 patients and CSF samples from 117 patients stored on ordinary white typing paper and on filter paper. Optimal preservation of biological samples is achieved when whole blood is stored on filter paper, CSF on white paper, and when samples are frozen within 1 week after collection. Our results could improve diagnostic capabilities and facilitate epidemiological surveys in endemic countries where immunodiagnostic tests cannot be rapidly performed because of inadequate laboratory infrastructure.

Blood↗
PubMed1997

[Evaluation of hospital emergency service attendance by patients from a basic health district].

OBJECTIVES: To find the sociodemographic characteristics of patients registered at a Health Centre (HC) who attended a hospital Casualty Department, their reasons for attendance, features of their use of facilities and how justified their attendance was. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Urban Health Centre, Llefià (Badalona), between February and June, 1995. PARTICIPANTS: We used a questionnaire composed by the research team to survey 360 patients over 14 who attended the HC with a report from a Casualty Department. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The variables recorded were: sociodemographic characteristics, reasons for attending Casualty, whether they attended on their own initiative, whether they knew about non-hospital Emergencies, the hospital, day and time, chronic pathology, diagnosis and destination on discharge from Casualty, length of stay and justification. 53.7% were women. 57.8% were married. 95% lived with a partner or intimate family member, 56.9% had completed primary education and 39.4% had jobs. 41% suffered a chronic pathology. Monday was the busiest day and physical trauma was the most frequent diagnosis on discharge. We considered 54.7% of all the consultations non-justified emergencies. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high percentage of users who attend Casualty on their own initiative. Most of the emergencies are unjustified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Comparison of therapeutic regimen of anticysticercal drugs for parenchymal brain cysticercosis.

The efficacy of different regimens of therapy for parenchymal brain cysticercosis either with praziquantel (PZQ) or with albendazole (ALB) was compared in 114 patients. Four schemes of treatment were used: PZQ 50 mg/kg per day for 15 days, PZQ 50 mg/kg per day for 8 days, ALB 15 mg/kg per day for 30 days, and ALB 15 mg/kg per day for 8 days. Three months after therapy, it was apparent that both PZQ and ALB were effective, as shown by the disappearance of cystic lesions in computed tomographic scans. Thirty-three control patients followed for a mean of 11 months had no spontaneous remission of lesions. When comparing PZQ with ALB, the latter was found to be more effective than the former for both the full and the short course of treatment: 85% vs 60% and 85% vs 48% disappearance of lesions, respectively (P less than 0.001). Comparison of the full vs the short course of PZQ showed that the short course had a further 12% reduction in drug effectiveness. In contrast, the length of ALB therapy could be shortened without lessening its efficacy. Based on these results, an 8-day course of ALB is recommended as treatment for parenchymal brain cysticercosis; a 15-day course of PZQ could be subsequently used in those patients who show only partial response to ALB.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Albendazole therapy for human neurocysticercosis, a controlled study with computerized tomography and magnetic resonance.

Until recently, there was no specific pharmacologic treatment for neurocysticercosis (NC). Surgery and steroids were the only medical alternatives for this disorder, which in some areas of the world affects between 3% and 4% of the general population, and in many cases is a major cause of neurologic disability. Praziquantel, an isoquinoline, was the first drug to show a potential efficacy for treatment of NC. In 1984, we reported the therapeutic effectiveness of praziquantel for brain cysticercosis. In this report we present the results of a study of 3 groups of patients treated for parenchymal NC with Albendazole, a benzimidazole active against most intestinal helminths, with proven activity at high doses against human hydatidosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Albendazole vs praziquantel for therapy for neurocysticercosis. A controlled trial.

Praziquantel and albendazole have been recently described as effective drugs for treating cysticercosis of the brain. In this study, effectiveness of each drug for therapy for parenchymal brain cysticercosis was compared. Twenty patients were treated either with albendazole or with praziquantel; in addition, five patients were taken as controls and treated only with symptomatic drugs. Three months after therapy, results showed that both drugs, albendazole and praziquantel, were highly effective, as seen by the disappearance of cystic lesions in computed tomographic scans. All lesions in control patients remained unchanged. Albendazole, when compared with praziquantel, showed a 76% vs 73% disappearance of lesions, respectively. It was concluded that both drugs have similar equivalent efficacy and greatly improve the therapeutics of cysticercosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Short course of albendazole therapy for neurocysticercosis.

Albendazole is now used for therapy of neurocysticercosis; however, duration of treatment has usually been empirically determined. In this study we shortened the length of therapy from one month in previous reports, to one week. Twelve patients with parenchymal brain cysticercosis were treated with albendazole for eight days at daily doses of 15 mg/kg of body weight. After three months of treatment the number of cysts on computed tomography had decreased from 185 to six; a 97% reduction in the number of lesions. Total remission of all cysts was seen in nine patients. Two cases had been unsuccessfully treated before with praziquantel, in both instances albendazole therapy was effective with 100% improvement. Our results indicated that a short course of albendazole is highly effective for treatment of neurocysticercosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Albendazole therapy for neurocysticercosis.

Seven patients with chronic parenchymal brain cysticercosis were treated with albendazole for one month at daily doses of 15 mg/kg of body weight. Computed tomographic follow-up studies were made at the following times: a mean of 16 months before the trial; the beginning of treatment; the end of treatment; and three months afterward. Computed tomographic studies at the beginning of treatment showed a total of 157 cysts, the last day of treatment the number had decreased to 39 cysts, and three months later, the total number of lesions was 22; this represents 86% improvement in the number of cystic lesions. Control studies in the same group of patients had shown chronic persistence of lesions without spontaneous improvement in most cases. Two patients had been treated with praziquantel previously with partial response; in both cases albendazole therapy was effective with 100% and 77% improvement. We conclude that albendazole is highly effective for the treatment of parenchymal brain cysticercosis. It is also effective in patients who had shown poor therapeutic response to praziquantel.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Praziquantel in the treatment of neurocysticercosis: long-term follow-up.

Thirty-five patients with active neurocysticercosis were treated with praziquantel and followed for 1 year after therapy. CT and CSF analysis showed that 91% of patients with parenchymal cysts improved, and 47% of patients with chronic arachnoiditis had remission. A single treatment with praziquantel for 2 weeks, administered in a daily dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight, was highly effective in parenchymal cysticercosis but less effective in meningeal cysticercosis. The benefits were sustained for at least 1 year.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Therapy of parenchymal brain cysticercosis with praziquantel.

Twenty-six patients with cysticercosis of the brain parenchyma were treated with the antihelmintic agent praziquantel (50 mg per kilogram of body weight daily for 15 days). During treatment a strong inflammatory reaction occurred, as evidenced by increased protein and cells in the cerebrospinal fluid. This finding correlated with headache, exacerbation of neurologic symptoms, and edema and inflammation around cystic lesions. After three months of treatment all patients had improved clinically, and 13 (50 per cent) were asymptomatic. The total number of cysts on CT scans had decreased from 152 at the beginning of treatment to 51, and the mean diameter of cysts was reduced by 72 per cent. CT scans showed improvement in 25 of the 26 patients, with total remission of all cysts in nine. Seventeen control patients followed with CT studies for a mean of 9 +/- 2 months had no spontaneous remission of lesions, and in many cases the scans showed worsening during the observation period. Our results indicate that praziquantel is effective in cysticercosis of the brain parenchyma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Differential diagnosis between ventriculitis and fourth ventricle cyst in neurocysticercosis.

The fourth ventricle is frequently affected in patients with cysticercosis of the central nervous system, due either to a large cyst occluding the cavity or to granular ependymitis (ventriculitis) as a consequence of diffuse inflammation within the intraventricular and subarachnoid spaces. In some cases, the differential diagnosis between these two forms of neurocysticercosis is difficult to make, even after special radiological procedures. It is important to establish the correct diagnosis, since a surgical approach is beneficial only when the fourth ventricle is obstructed by a large cyst. In this paper, the clinical differences between fourth ventricle cysts and ventriculitis are presented in 16 patients with neurocysticercosis who were subjected to surgical exploration of the posterior fossa. Patients with a large cyst occluding the fourth ventricle had a short evolution of signs and symptoms, Bruns' syndrome, and discrete or no inflammatory reaction in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Patients with ventriculitis generally had a longer duration of signs and symptoms, Parinaud's syndrome, a consistently positive complement fixation test to cysticerci, and more cells and proteins in the CSF. The clinical picture and ancillary studies can give the precise diagnosis in most patients before surgical exploration is performed.

Adolescent↗