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- Title
Methotrexate as a Corticosteroid-Sparing Agent in Complicated Neurocysticercosis.
- Authors
Mitre, Edward; Talaat, Kawsar R.; Sperling, Michael R.; Nash, Theodore E.
- Abstract
Background. A subset of patients with neurocysticercosis developed chronic or recurrent perilesional inflammation and required long-term and high-dose corticosteroid therapy. Such therapy frequently results in severe adverse effects. The purpose of this study was to determine whether methotrexate can be used as an effective corticosteroid-sparing or replacement agent in patients with complicated neurocysticercosis. Methods. This study was a nonblinded, prospective, observational trial. Patients with neurocysticercosis who required prednisone (15 mg/day) or its equivalent for ⩾2 months, were likely to require long-term corticosteroid therapy by nature of their disease, developed serious complications due to corticosteroid use, or presented with a long-term history of corticosteroid use and had continued evidence of ongoing inflammation were eligible for methotrexate treatment. Results. Four patients are described in this study: 2 with subarachnoid neurocysticercosis, 1 with severe intraventricular and parenchymal disease, and 1 with recurrent perilesional edema around calcified lesions. Chronic inflammation due to neurocysticercosis resulted in lacunar infarcts, visual impairment, hydrocephalus, and seizures in these patients and necessitated long-term treatment with corticosteroids, which resulted in multiple adverse effects. The addition of methotrexate, prescribed at ⩽20 mg/week, allowed for the successful reduction of corticosteroid use in all 4 patients and resulted in the improvement of many corticosteroid-associated adverse effects. Conclusions. Methotrexate is a beneficial corticosteroid-sparing or replacement agent for patients with neurocysticercosis who develop chronic or recurrent perilesional inflammation.
- Subjects
METHOTREXATE; AMINOBENZOIC acids; CORTICOSTEROIDS; CYSTICERCOSIS; INFLAMMATION; PREDNISONE
- Publication
Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2007, Vol 44, Issue 4, p549
- ISSN
1058-4838
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1086/511040