Comparative Study on the Efficacy of Sulfadoxine- Pyrimethamine, Amodiaquine and Amodiaquine + Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine Combination in the Treatment of Acute Uncomplicated Malaria in Enugu State, Nigeria.
Nwobodo¹* and P. O. Okonkwo²¹Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology Enugu Nigeria.
²Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nigeria.
Abstract: Malaria is a major killer disease affecting one third of the world’s population with untold morbidity and mortality especially in under five children in Sub-Saharan Africa. In a randomized controlled trial, involving 180 children aged 6 to 59 months, (M:F, 1:1.37) with clinically characterized malaria; the efficacy of Amodiaquine (AQ) and Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) as monotherapy and in combination as AQ + SP was evaluated. Results revealed that Fever Clearance Time (FCT) of 28.3±2.3 hours in AQ + SP was significantly different (P<0.05) from 51.2±2.3 hours and 74.6±2.5 hours in AQ and SP respectively. Similarly, the Parasite Clearance Time (PCT) in AQ + SP combination differed significantly (P<0.05) from AQ and SP respectively. There was no reported treatment failure in AQ + SP with a Radical Cure Rate (RCR) of 100%. This contrasts with RCR of 83.5±0.34% and 73.8±0.42% reported for AQ and SP respectively in this study. There was no statistically significant difference P>0.05 in the haematocrit and axillary temperatures at pre and post-treatment in the various treatment groups. In conclusion, the AQ+SP combination is strongly recommended for treatment of uncomplicated P.falciparum malaria especially in under 5 children in Enugu, Nigeria.
Keywords: Combination therapy; efficacy; monotherapy; malaria Back to TOC