Abstract
Chloroquine can no longer be recommended as the first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in several parts of Africa because of the increasing prevalence of chloroquine resistance. However, chloroquine was a highly effective treatment for malaria not only because of its ability to kill parasites quickly but also because it is an anti-inflammatory drug. Therefore, we have investigated whether Fansidar® (pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine) plus chloroquine is a more effective treatment for uncomplicated malaria than Fansidar® alone. Four hundred and five Gambian children with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria were studied in a randomized controlled trial. Significantly more children treated with Fansidar® alone, compared to those treated with Fansidar® plus chloroquine (19/203 vs. 2/202; P < 0.001), returned to the clinic with persistent symptoms during the first 3 d after treatment. Three children who had received Fansidar® alone had fits, but none of the children treated with Fansidar® plus chloroquine did so. At the day 7 follow-up, the parasite failure rate in the Fansidar® alone group was 3/198 (1.5%), whilst in the Fansidar® plus chloroquine group it was 3/201 (1.5%). At the day 28 follow-up, there was still no significant difference between the parasite failure rate in the Fansidar® alone group (15/150; 10.0%) and the Fansidar® plus chloroquine group (7/141; 5.0%) and the mean packed cell volume (PCV) in the 2 groups was similar. Thus, a combination of Fansidar® plus chloroquine was a more effective symptomatic treatment than Fansidar® given alone, but neither the parasite cure rate nor the PCV was enhanced by use of the combination.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 73-76 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
Volume | 92 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1998 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chemotherapy
- Children
- Chloroquine
- Fansidar®
- Malaria
- Plasmodium falciparum
- The Gambia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases