Clinical characteristics and progression of liver abscess caused by toxocara

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with liver abscess caused by toxocara

Patients, n	34
Mean age, yr	53
Male, n (%)	26 (76.5)
Underlying disease, n (%)
Hypertension	9 (26.5)
Diabetes	4 (11.8)
Tuberculosis	3 (8.8)
Liver cirrhosis	2 (5.9)
Chronic viral hepatitis	2 (5.9)
Cancer history	2 (5.9)
None	9 (26.5)
Alcohol drinking, n (%)
Heavy drinking	14 (41.2)
Moderate drinking	7 (20.6)
No drinking	9 (26.5)
Unknown	4 (11.8)
Transmission, n (%)
Eating raw meat or liver	23 (67.6)
Keeping pet dogs or cats	6 (17.6)
No specific history	4 (11.8)
Unknown	7 (20.6)
Symptoms, n (%)
Asymptomatic	18 (52.9)
RUQ pain	6 (17.6)
Fever	4 (11.8)
Fatigue	4 (11.8)
Anorexia	2 (5.9)
Cough	2 (5.9)
Weakness of legs	2 (5.9)
Involvement of other organs, n (%)
Lung	4 (11.8)
Muscle of legs	1 (2.9)
CNS	1 (2.9)
Mean AST/ALT, IU/L	31/31
Eosinophilia, n (%)
Normal (< 500/μL)	5 (14.7)
Mild (500-1500/μL)	17 (50.0)
Moderate (1500-5000/μL)	7 (20.6)
Severe (> 5000/μL)	5 (14.7)
Serum IgE, n (%)
Normal (< 100 IU/mL)	1 (2.9)
Mild elevated (100-500 IU/mL)	10 (29.4)
Severe elevated (> 500 IU/mL)	15 (44.1)
Unknown	8 (23.5)
Liver abscess, n (%)
Single	15 (44.1)
Multiple	19 (55.9)

Liver abscess caused by toxocara was related to sex (male), alcohol drinking, eating raw meat or liver. Laboratory characteristics showed normal liver enzymes, peripheral blood eosinophilia, and elevated level of serum IgE. RUQ: Right upper quadrant; CNS: Central nervous system; AST: Alanine aminotransferase; ALT: Aspartate aminotransferase.

Table 2 Therapeutic response after treatment with albendazole n (%)

Eosinophilia (n = 25)
Normalized	16 (64)
Decreased	8 (32)
No change	1 (4)
Serum IgE (n = 18)
Increased	7 (38.9)
Decreased	8 (44.4)
No change	3 (16.7)
Liver abscess (n = 22)
Improved	22 (100)
Not improved	0

Most eosinophil counts were normalized or decreased and all of the abscesses were improved on computed tomography after 1 year, but the levels of serum IgE showed variable response after 6 mo.