A proposal for classification of neurocysticercosis

Abstract

The complicated pathophysiological and immunological changes in the central nervous system of patients with neurocysticercosis produce a variety of signs and symptoms, which complicate the clinical and surgical management of this disease. A complete and objective classification is needed, to improve the medical approach as a whole. We studied 336 patients, in whom we classified neurocysticerosis according to criteria of viability and location of the parasite in the CNS: active form (37.2%) when the cysticercus is alive, transitional form (32.8%) when it is in the degenerative phase, and inactive form (30%) when the parasite is dead. This classification establishes the correlation between the different forms of neurocysticerosis and its clinical manifestations, and can be used for planning therapeutic strategies.