[Clinical aspects of neurocysticercosis: analysis of 500 cases]

This was a retrospective study, made at the Hospital das Clinicas University of São Paulo Medical School--Ribeirão Preto from 1956 to 1979 in 500 patients with neurocysticercosis. To our knowledge, this represented the largest sample analysed so far. Clinical manifestations and complemmentary tests were studied. The neurocysticercosis is a serious endemic disease in our region and represented 2.7% of all clinical evaluations by the Neurology Department and 7.5% of all hospital admissions. The most frequent clinical presentations were the epileptic (64.8%), the intracranial hypertension (35.6%), and the meningitic (29%). Radiological study of the skull showed intracranial calcifications suggestive of cysticercosis in 47.6%. The cerebrospinal fluid was abnormal in 81.3%: pleocytosis in 60.9%, increased protein in 49.1% and increased pressure in 29%. The presence of eosinophils occurred in 41.9%, and the Weinberg test was positive in 62,6% of all the cases. It was discussed the utility of the different drugs and the results of the surgical treatment in neurocysticercosis drawing the conclusion that they show no efficacy when analysed at the end of a long follow-up. Since none of the drugs seems to be really efficient, only the sanitary education will be able to control this endemic disease that grasses among us with so somber perspectives.