Impact of intermittent preventive anti-malarial treatment on the growth and nutritional status of preschool children in rural Senegal (west Africa).
Negative consequences of malaria might account for seasonality in nutritional status in children in the Sahel. We report the impact of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of seasonal intermittent preventive anti-malarial treatment on growth and nutritional status in 1,063 Senegalese preschool children. A combination of artesunate and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine was given monthly from September to November. In the intervention arm, mean weight gain was significantly greater (122.9 +/- 340 versus 42.9 +/- 344 [SD] g/mo, P < 0.0001) and losses in triceps and subscapular skinfold measurements were less (-0.39 +/- 1.01 versus -0.66 +/- 1.01 mm/mo, and -0.15 +/- 0.64 versus -0.36 +/- 0.62 mm/mo, respectively, P < 0.0001 for both). There was no difference in height increments. The prevalence of wasting increased significantly in the control arm (4.6% before versus 9.5% after, P < 0.0001), but remained constant in intervention children: 5.6% versus 7.0% (P = 0.62). The prevention of malaria would improve child nutritional status in areas with seasonal transmission.
Ntab
Balthazar
B
Epidemiology and Prevention Research Unit, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France and Dakar, Senegal.
Cissé
Badara
B
Boulanger
Denis
D
Sokhna
Cheikh
C
Targett
Geoffrey
G
Lines
Jo
J
Alexander
Neal
N
Trape
Jean-François
JF
Simondon
François
F
Greenwood
Brian M
BM
Simondon
Kirsten B
KB
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000187:drug effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*