Clinical features and outcomes of patients with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis treated with oral albendazole.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical features, visual function outcomes, and adverse events in patients with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN) treated with high-dose oral albendazole.

DESIGN: Interventional case series.

METHODS: Twelve Brazilian patients, aged 7 through 36 years, with active DUSN in the early or late clinical stage, were recruited for this study between 1999 and 2001. A small variant motile worm was found in 4 (33.3%) of these cases. All patients were treated exclusively with high-dose oral albendazole (400 mg/d) for 30 days.

RESULTS: Improvement of visual acuity, visual field, and active ocular inflammatory signs was observed in all patients after 4 weeks of treatment (median follow-up: 3 years). Also, during the first weeks of treatment, evidence of worm inactivation was documented for the four patients with visible worms. No adverse drug side effects were observed in any of our cases during follow-up.

CONCLUSION: High-dose oral albendazole seems to be safe and beneficial for patients with DUSN.