Aim of the study. -To evaluate mefloquine versus halofantrine in children suffering from acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Material and methods. -Prospective non randomized study in hospitalized children during ...Aim of the study. -To evaluate mefloquine versus halofantrine in children suffering from acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Material and methods. -Prospective non randomized study in hospitalized children during one year. Acute falcipamm malaria was defined by fever and a positive thin and/or thick smear. Malaria was presumed to have been contracted in Comoros archipelago and/or Madagascar 6 months previously. Patients were excluded, when quinine had to be used, according to World Health Organization’s severity criteria. Results. -Forty-nine children were included: 29 were treated with halofantrine and 20 with mefioquine. Patients features in the two groups of treatment were identical, with exception for the mean time between first clinical signs and diagnosis (shorter in mefloquine group). Fever’s and hospitalization’s durations under treatment were similar. An increase in QTc interval was frequently observed in patients treated with halofantrine (56 versus 0%), although patients with mefloquine experienced vomiting (45 versus 0%). Relapses seemed to bemore frequent with halofantrine (14 versus 0%). Discussion. -Halofantrine and mefloquine are efficient for falciparum malaria treatment in our pediatric series, despite a high rate of adverse events. Mefloquine’s tolerance may probably be improved with changes in regimen and dose. Relapses are more frequent with a single first treatment of halofantrine, than with mefloquine. Unfortunately, features of a second halofantrine treatment are not defined.展开更多
文摘Aim of the study. -To evaluate mefloquine versus halofantrine in children suffering from acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Material and methods. -Prospective non randomized study in hospitalized children during one year. Acute falcipamm malaria was defined by fever and a positive thin and/or thick smear. Malaria was presumed to have been contracted in Comoros archipelago and/or Madagascar 6 months previously. Patients were excluded, when quinine had to be used, according to World Health Organization’s severity criteria. Results. -Forty-nine children were included: 29 were treated with halofantrine and 20 with mefioquine. Patients features in the two groups of treatment were identical, with exception for the mean time between first clinical signs and diagnosis (shorter in mefloquine group). Fever’s and hospitalization’s durations under treatment were similar. An increase in QTc interval was frequently observed in patients treated with halofantrine (56 versus 0%), although patients with mefloquine experienced vomiting (45 versus 0%). Relapses seemed to bemore frequent with halofantrine (14 versus 0%). Discussion. -Halofantrine and mefloquine are efficient for falciparum malaria treatment in our pediatric series, despite a high rate of adverse events. Mefloquine’s tolerance may probably be improved with changes in regimen and dose. Relapses are more frequent with a single first treatment of halofantrine, than with mefloquine. Unfortunately, features of a second halofantrine treatment are not defined.
