EchiNam: multicenter retrospective study on the experience, challenges, and pitfalls in the diagnosis and treatment of alveolar echinococcosis in Belgium.
[en] [en] OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study was to collect epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, imaging, management, and follow-up data on cases of alveolar echinococcosis (AE) diagnosed and/or followed up within the Namur Hospital Network (NHN) in order to gather information on the challenges, pitfalls, and overall experience in the diagnosis and treatment of AE.
METHODS: EchiNam was a multicenter retrospective study. Patients diagnosed and/or treated for probable or confirmed AE in the NHN between 2002 and 2023 were included in the study. Patient selection was based on diagnosis codes, laboratory results, and albendazole (ABZ) dispensing.
RESULTS: A total of 22 AE cases were retrieved, of which four were classified as probable and 18 as confirmed cases. Nine patients were either asymptomatic or had symptoms attributed to another disease. Clinical examination yielded pathologic findings in 10 patients. The median duration from the first AE-suggestive laboratory abnormalities to diagnosis was 176 days, and the median duration from the first AE-related imaging abnormalities to diagnosis was 133 days. Overall, 12 patients underwent surgical resection, with only four achieving complete lesion resection. Nine patients experienced ABZ-related adverse effects, with temporary ABZ discontinuation in five.
CONCLUSION: Due to various factors such as a long incubation period and a lack of awareness among Belgian physicians, AE is often diagnosed at advanced disease stages. Treatment then becomes more complex or even suboptimal, resulting in prolonged therapy, higher risk of adverse effects, significantly impaired quality of life, poor prognosis, and higher mortality rates. Measures should be taken to achieve early diagnosis in endemic areas.
Disciplines :
Immunology & infectious disease Gastroenterology & hepatology Surgery
Author, co-author :
Plum, Pierre-Emmanuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > GIGA-R : Immunopathologie - Maladies infectieuses et médecine interne générale ; Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU UCL Namur (Site Godinne), Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Dr Gaston Thérasse 1, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium. pierreemmanuelplum@gmail.com
Ausselet, Nathalie; Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU UCL Namur (Site Godinne), Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Dr Gaston Thérasse 1, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium
Kidd, François; Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU UCL Namur (Site Namur), Université catholique de Louvain, Namur, Belgium
Noirhomme, Séverine; Department of Infectious Diseases, Centre Hospitalier Régional de Namur (Site Namur), Namur, Belgium
Garrino, Maria-Grazia; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Centre Hospitalier Régional de Namur (Site Namur), Namur, Belgium
Dili, Alexandra; HPB Surgery Unit, CHU UCL Namur (Site Godinne), Université catholique de Louvain, Yvoir, Belgium
Hayette, Marie-Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Bactériologie, mycologie, parasitologie, virologie et microbiologie
Detry, Olivier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Pathologie chirurgicale abdominale et endocrinienne
Léonard, Philippe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Immunopathologie - Maladies infectieuses et médecine interne générale
Motet, Christian; Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
Hites, Maya; Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
Bourgeois, Marc; Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU UCL Namur (Site Godinne), Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Dr Gaston Thérasse 1, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium
Montesinos, Isabel; Department of Clinical Microbiology, CHU UCL Namur (Site Godinne), Université catholique de Louvain, Yvoir, Belgium
Delaere, Bénédicte; Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU UCL Namur (Site Godinne), Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Dr Gaston Thérasse 1, Yvoir, 5530, Belgium
EchiNam: multicenter retrospective study on the experience, challenges, and pitfalls in the diagnosis and treatment of alveolar echinococcosis in Belgium.
Publication date :
25 November 2024
Journal title :
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
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