Abstracts

Epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a public health problem in the developing world and its outcome is not well known. Our objective was to determine the long-term prognosis of this symptomatic epilepsy in patients diagnosed in 1997 during a population-based study perfomed in the Salama County, Honduras (Medina et al, Epilepsia 2005;46(1):124-131.) Thirty-three patients with symptomatic epilepsy due to NCC in 1997 were followed for 8 years. Diagnosis had been made by a combination of clinical, epidemiologic, brain tomography, video-EEG and laboratory criteria We evaluated clinical evolution, persistence or remittance of seizures, knowledge of the disease, complications and mortality. By 2005, we made the follow-up of 30/33; 23/33 remained in the community (70%), 9 had emigrated (27%) and one died (3%). Sixteen patients (53.3%) were seizure free for more than 5 years, 13 patients (43.3%) persisted with seizures and one patient died because of status epilepticus. Most patients with persisting seizures had calcified NCC. Status epilepticus occurred in 9/30. Only 5/30 correctly understood the mechanism of transmission of NCC. Fifty-three percent of patients with epilepsy due to NCC remmited in a long-term follow-up. Most patients with persiting seizures had calcified NCC. Status epilepticus could be considered a prognostic factor for chronicity and mortality. (Supported by the Secretary of Health of Honduras, Honduran Neurology Training Program, Horowitz Foundation, World Federation of Neurology.)