Seizure in people with newly diagnosed active or transitional neurocysticercosis

PURPOSE The aim of this study is to describe seizure as a presenting symptom in individuals with recently diagnosed neurocysticercosis (NCC). METHODS Using logistic regression, we examined the probability of having seizures as a presenting symptom among those with active or transitional NCC by host age and gender, and by number of cysts, location of the cysts in the brain, and phase of evolution of the encysted parasite. RESULTS We found that the odds of having seizures as presenting symptom for those in the youngest age group (3-24 years old) were 12.9 times that of the oldest participants (age 55-82 years) (p=0.006). People with cysts in parenchymal locations had a significantly higher odds of seizures compared to those with all their cysts elsewhere (ventricles or subarachnoid) (OR=6.2, p=0.028); and the number of cysts was significantly associated with having seizures (OR=1.1, p=0.026). Host gender and cyst phase were not significantly associated with having seizures after adjusting for confounders and covariates. CONCLUSION Children, those with cysts in parenchymal locations, and those with a higher number of cysts appear to be more likely to experience seizure when they have NCC cysts in the active or transitional stage.