The patterns of diagnosis approaches, involved organs, and clinical symptoms and signs of hydatid cyst patients: a case series study from Northern Iran.

Abstract

Hydatid cyst is a disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus parasite and a common zoonotic infection between humans and animals, with increasing prevalence in Iran. Few studies have been conducted in Iran about its clinical epidemiology. This study by Latent class analysis (LCA), examined the patterns of patients based on clinical symptoms and signs, organs involved, and diagnosis approaches and the chi-square test was used to examine the relationship of these patterns with some epidemiologic variables. In this case series study of surveillance system of hydatid cyst of Mazandaran province in north Iran, all patients who were confirmed to have hydatid cysts between 2012 and 2022 (118 patients) were evaluated Liver, lung and belly were the most involved organs and belly pain, liver enlargement and chest pain were also the most common symptoms of the disease. Based on clinical signs and symptoms, patients were classified into two classes: " non-specific symptoms& sings with 49.2%" and " specific symptoms & sings with 50.8%". Based on the involved organs, the patients were classified into 3 classes: "specific lung with 17.8%", "non-specific organs with 13.6%" and "specific liver with 68.6%". Based on diagnosis approaches, patients were classified into 3 classes, including "specifically CT-scan with 32.2%", " specifically MRI with 33.9%" and "specifically X-ray with 33.9%". More "specific symptoms & sings pattern" were seen in the "specifically liver class" (almost 60% of cases) and "non-specific organs class" (75% of cases). This study provides valuable insights into the clinical epidemiology of hydatid cyst.