Abstract
Introduction: Schistosomiasis is caused by a helminth of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomal myeloradiculopathy (SMR) is the main ectopic manifestation of this species. The diagnosis of SMR is based on neurological symptoms of spinal cord injury, tests that indicate infection by the agent, and exclusion of other causes. Using magnetic resonance imaging of the spinal cord, the diagnosis of this ectopic form of the disease was facilitated. Objective: This was to develop a systematic review to present the main clinical outcomes of the diagnosis and treatment of schistosomal myeloradiculopathy. Methods: The systematic review rules of the PRISMA Platform were followed. The search was conducted from January to February 2025 in the Scopus, Embase, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument, and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: A total of 124 articles were found. 22 articles were evaluated, and 16 were included in this systematic review. Considering the Cochrane tool for risk of bias, the overall assessment resulted in 38 studies with high risk of bias and 19 studies that did not meet GRADE. Most studies presented homogeneity in their results, with X2=83.8% >50%. It was concluded that among the main manifestations of schistosomiasis, schistosomal myeloradiculopathy is the most severe ectopic form of the disease, and should be suspected in patients with low back pain, lower limb strength and/or sensitivity disorders, or urinary tract disorders. Early diagnosis and treatment should be performed to reduce severe neurological sequelae. Treatment includes anti-schistosomiasis medications, corticosteroids, and/or surgery that significantly impacts the overall quality of life of affected individuals, reinforcing the importance of efforts to control and eradicate this debilitating disease and suggesting that multidisciplinary clinical management of patients with schistosomiasis would be more appropriate and could potentially improve patient quality of life.