title: Comparative efficacy of halofantrine, chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Nigerian children.
abstract: One hundred and ten children aged 6 months to 11 years were randomly treated with halofantrine (HF), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (S-P) or chloroquine (CQ) for acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in an endemic area of south-western Nigeria. The response of infection to treatment in each child was monitored for 14 d. The mean fever clearance times were 1.9 d (n = 36), 1.6 d (n = 27), and 1-7 d (n = 28) for children treated with HF, S-P and CQ, respectively. The parasite clearance times were 3.4 d (n = 39), 4.4 d (n = 24) and 4.1 d (n = 15) in the 3 groups of children. The cure rate at day 7 was 92.3% (36/39) in children treated with HF, 72.7% (24/33) in those treated with S-P, and 39.5% (15/38) in those treated with CQ. By day 14, 4 of 36 (11.1%) parasitologically cured patients treated with HF had experienced recrudescences. The corresponding figures among children treated with S-P or CQ were 8.3% and 13.3%, respectively. The 3 drugs were well tolerated. The results of the study showed a further decline in the sensitivity of P. falciparum infections to CQ, while HF and S-P remained relatively effective in the treatment of malaria in south-west Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Falade
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Salako
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sowunmi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oduola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larcier
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; C023768:halofantrine; D011739:Pyrimethamine