CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL RATIONALE FOR ADJUSTING ALBENDAZOLE CHEMOTHERAPY FOLLOWING SURGICAL TREATMENT OF HEPATIC ECHINOCOCCOSIS
Аннотация
Resume. Background:Liver echinococcosis remains a significant global health issue, particularly in endemic regions where diagnostic and therapeutic challenges persist. The optimal dosing of albendazole in post-surgical chemotherapy continues to be debated, especially in patients with pre-existing hepatic dysfunction. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and morphological rationale for adjusting albendazole dosages to improve safety and efficacy during postoperative chemotherapy for hepatic echinococcosis. Methods: An experimental study was performed using 32 naturally infected sheep and 371 patients diagnosed with liver echinococcosis. Albendazole was administered at varying dosages (5–20 mg/kg) across controlled experimental groups to assess its histopathological effects on parasitic cysts and hepatic tissue. Clinical patients were divided into a standard-dose group (10–15 mg/kg) and a dose-adjusted group (5–7 mg/kg) with concurrent monitoring of liver function biomarkers and recurrence rates. Results: Experimental data demonstrated that albendazole at 10–20 mg/kg induced a rapid proliferative-cellular response within two weeks, while the 5–7 mg/kg regimen achieved a similar effect within three to four weeks. Clinically, adjusting albendazole doses to 5–7 mg/kg in patients with diffuse hepatic disease reduced adverse effects from 52.7% to 18.3% and decreased recurrence from 11.9% to 2.6% (p<0.05). Conclusions: Morphological and clinical findings support the therapeutic adjustment of albendazole to 5–7 mg/kg in patients with compromised hepatic function. Dose correction not only preserves antiparasitic efficacy but significantly reduces hepatotoxicity and postoperative recurrence of liver echinococcosis. Keywords: Liver echinococcosis, Albendazole, Chemotherapy adjustment, Surgical treatment, Hepatic safety, Recurrence prevention.