The safety and efficacy of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, amodiaquine, and their combination in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2002 Jul;67(1):17-23. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2002.67.17.

Abstract

The safety and efficacy of amodiaquine (AQ), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), and coadministered AQ+SP was assessed in 351 Tanzanian children (age range, 6-59 months) with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. This open, randomized study followed the 28-day World Health Organization (WHO) protocol and evaluated safety using clinical and laboratory parameters. Children receiving SP were more likely to vomit during follow-up (32% vs. 17%: P = 0.03), and SP alone resulted in prolonged fever clearance times. Although Day 7 and Day 14 clinical and parasitological cure rates were similar, by Day 28 45% of children treated with AQ demonstrated R1 resistance and 27.5% were clinical failures compared with 25% and 6.3%, respectively, for SP alone. Coadministered AQ+SP was safe, combined the greater clinical (96.2%) and parasitological (64.2%) efficacy of SP with the more rapid symptom resolution of AQ, and reduced the incidence of gametocytemia during follow-up (AQ+SP 12.6% vs. SP 29.9%; P = 0.001). The level of R1 resistance to SP may herald a rapid decline in its efficacy as SP drug pressure increases. Coadministration of AQ+SP may delay this.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amodiaquine / administration & dosage
  • Amodiaquine / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / administration & dosage
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Combinations
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Male
  • Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification
  • Pyrimethamine / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimethamine / therapeutic use*
  • Sulfadoxine / administration & dosage
  • Sulfadoxine / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Drug Combinations
  • Amodiaquine
  • fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination
  • Sulfadoxine
  • Pyrimethamine