[Mefloquine treatment in infants and children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria: an efficient and well tolerated treatment].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of mefloquine treatment in children, especially in infants of less than 15 kg, in an endemic area of malaria (French Guiana).


METHODS
This 5-years (1996-2000) retrospective study included 61 children aged 6 months to 16 years who had been treated with mefloquine for acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Twenty-six of these children weighted less than 15 kg. The efficiency of the treatment was evaluated using clinical and parasitic data that had been validated according to the criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO). Tolerance was compared with the data in the medical literature.


RESULTS
None of the 59 patients who were given the treatment correctly presented signs of early therapeutic failure as defined by the WHO. Apyrexia was obtained in 48 h on average (CI 95%: 39-57; median: 36 h). The mean time required to obtain negative parasitism was 91 h (CI 95%: 80-101; median: 96 h) among the 51 patients in whom this was measured. Mild side effects were observed in 27.8% of the cases affecting mainly the digestive system. No differences were observed regarding efficacy or tolerance for children who weighed less than 15 kg.


CONCLUSIONS
Mefloquine represents an efficient treatment for acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in children and is well-tolerated even in infants.
Service de réanimation pédiatrique, hôpital Jeanne-de-Flandre, 2, avenue Oscar-Lambret, 59037 Lille cedex, France. frandubos@wanadoo.fr
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Dubos
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Delattre
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Demar
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Carme
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014944:World Health Organization
D000962:Antimalarials; D015767:Mefloquine