title: Chloroquine versus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Savannakhet Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic: an assessment of national antimalarial drug recommendations.
abstract: The in vivo efficacies of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) nationally recommended antimalarial agents--chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine-were assessed in a randomized, comparative trial that involved 100 patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria who were followed for 42 days after starting treatment. Despite a shorter mean time to fever clearance associated with administration of chloroquine (mean time to clearance, 35.6 h; 95% confidence interval [CI], 26.3-45.0 h), compared with that associated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (61.1 h; 95% CI, 50.9-71.3 h; P<.001), treatment failures were twice as frequent among patients receiving chloroquine therapy than among those receiving sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine therapy (36% vs. 18%; P=.02). Of 23 treatment failures, 10 (43%) were high grade. Treatment failure rates among children (age range, 5-15 years) were 4.9 times higher (95% CI, 2-12) than those among adults (P<.0001). Gametocytemia after antimalarial treatment was associated with receipt of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine therapy and with treatment failure (P=.009). The efficacy of both chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in Laos is unsatisfactory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Science, National University of Laos, Savannakhet, Lao People's Democratic Republic. fnnjw@diamond.mahidol.ac.th
authors.forename: Mayfong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mayxay
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Maniphono
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khanthavong
authors.forename: Pongvongsa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tiengkham
authors.forename: Rattanaxay
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Phetsouvanh
authors.forename: Samlane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phompida
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brockman
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D007812:Laos / Q000453:epidemiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine