title: Therapeutic efficacy of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and chloroquine for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in pregnancy in Burkina Faso.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A reduction in the therapeutic efficacy of chloroquine (CQ) and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) has recently been observed in Burkina Faso. As these two drugs are used in pregnancy, their efficacy in pregnant women was studied to directly assess the level of drug resistance in this specific population, rather than to extrapolate results of studies conducted in children < 5 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the malaria transmission season of 2003 in Ouagadougou, the clinical efficacy of SP and CQ, using the WHO 28-day protocol, was assessed in primigravidae and secundigravidae presenting with uncomplicated malaria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCR-corrected results by day 28 showed that among 62 women treated with SP, eight (12.9%) experienced late parasitological failure, but no clinical failures. Among 60 women treated with CQ, the overall failure rate was 46.7% including 1.7% early treatment failures, 5% late clinical failures and 40% late parasitological failures. SP induced a haemoglobin gain of 0.3 g/dL by day 14 and 0.9 g/dL by day 28. Treatment responses were independent of gravidity, gestational age and prior antenatal care visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While CQ should no longer be used, the efficacy of SP is still compatible with use for intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) in pregnancy. However, given the possible spread of resistance, the drug should be restricted in its use.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, 09 BP 24 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso. sheickoumar2@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Sheick Oumar
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Coulibaly
authors.forename: Désiré
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nezien
authors.forename: Salifou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Traoré
authors.forename: Bibiane
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koné
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magnussen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002050:Burkina Faso; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000075202:Contraindications; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine