ALBENDAZOLE PLUS PRAZIQUANTEL VERSUS ALBENDAZOLE ALONE AS A PREOPERATIVE TREATMENT IN INTRAABDOMINAL HYDATIDOSIS CAUSED BY ECHINOCOCCUS-GRANULOSUS

OBJECTIVE TO compare the effects of a combined medication of albendazo le (10 mg/kg/day) plus praziquantel (25 mg/kg/day) to those of albenda zole alone at different doses (10 and 20 mg/kg/clay). METHOD The proto scoleces' viability was studied in a consecutive series of patients af fected by intraabdominal hydatidosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus . in all cases the drugs were given during the month prior to surgery RESULTS A significant increase of patients with nonviable protoscolece s was observed in the group treated with the scolicides combination co mpared to those treated with albendazole alone, both at. a dose of 10 mg/kg/day (P = 0.004) and at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day (P = 0.03). Albend azole sulphoxide levels in serum and in cyst fluid were higher in pati ents given the combined therapy than ill those Mho received only alben dazole (10 mg/kg/day: P = 0.016; 20 mg/kg/day: P = 0.034). Levels in t he cysts were not significantly different probably due to the sample s ize; nevertheless a lineal relation between the values obtained in ser um and inside the cysts could be discerned in the patients treated wit h the combined medication. CONCLUSION Albendazole plus praziquantel is more effective than monotherapy with albendazole in the preoperative treatment of intra-abdominal hydatidosis.