Comparative study of efficacy of artesunate plus cotrimoxazole and artesunate plus chloroquine in the treatment of malaria in Nigerian children: a preliminary report.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of cotrimoxazole plus artesunate and to compare the efficacy of this combination with that of artesunate plus chloroquine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in children.

METHODS

Children aged between 0.5 and 12 yr with clinical and parasitological evidence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria were randomized to receive either artesunate plus cotrimoxazole or artesunate plus chloroquine. They were followed-up with clinical and parasitological assessment for a period of 14 days.

RESULTS

In all, 57 out of 81 (31 in the artesunate plus cotrimoxazole group and 26 in artesunate plus chloroquine group) completed the study as per protocol and were evaluated. Pre-treatment clinical and parasitological parameters were similar in the two treatment groups. The time to clear fever and other symptoms were similar in the two groups 1.0 +/- 0 vs 1.14 +/- 0.38 (p > 0.05). Parasite clearance times were also similar; 1.65 +/- 0.49 days vs 1.58 +/- 0.67 days respectively for artesunate plus cotrimoxazole and artesunate plus chloroquine (p > 0.05). The cure rates on Day 14 were 100% for both artesunate plus cotrimoxazole and artesunate plus chloroquine groups. Both drug combinations were well-tolerated in the small population of children.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that artesunate plus cotrimoxazole has similar efficacy to artesunate plus chloroquine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in children resident in an endemic area of south-west Nigeria.