Ultrasound and clinical investigation of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis: evaluation of splenomegaly and liver fibrosis four years after mass chemotherapy with oxamniquine.

Abstract

The course of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis after mass chemotherapy with oxamniquine has been rarely reported. We report the effect of treatment in patients with advanced schistosomiasis mansoni living in area of Brazil highly endemic for this disease. A total of 739 inhabitants of a village were subjected to clinical and abdominal ultrasound examinations and were treated with oxamniquine. We have identified 84 individuals with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis. Alcohol abuse was associated with periportal thickening. Four years after treatment, 42 of the 84 individuals were re-examined and regression of splenomegaly was observed in 59% and of periportal thickening in 32%. Our data indicate that mass chemotherapy can lead to reduction of schistosomiasis morbidity but a significant group of patients (68%) will not improve. The association with alcohol abuse should be further evaluated. Thickening of the gallbladder wall can be a useful predictor of no involution of liver fibrosis after treatment.

• Authors: Gláucia Fernandes Cota, Rogério Augusto Pinto-Silva, Carlos Maurício Figueiredo Antunes, José Roberto Lambertucci
• Journal: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (Am J Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 74 Issue 1 Pg. 103-7 (Jan 2006) ISSN: 0002-9637 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16407352 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Schistosomicides
• Oxamniquine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Alcoholism (complications)
• Female
• Humans
• Liver Cirrhosis (complications, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging)
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Multivariate Analysis
• Oxamniquine (therapeutic use)
• Schistosomiasis (complications, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Schistosomicides (therapeutic use)
• Splenomegaly (complications, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging)
• Ultrasonography