Effectiveness of the Use of Chloroquine plus Chlorpheniramine in the Management of Acute Uncomplicated Malaria

Abstract

To evaluate the effectiveness of chloroquine (CQ) plus chlorpheniramine (CP) combination in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in the community outside the strict followup and compliance of hospital-based studies. In an open randomized study, patients with symptomatic acute uncomplicated malaria in a rural community in Southwestern Nigeria were allocated to receive supervised (Group1) or unsupervised (Group2) chloroquine plus chlorpheniramine (CQ-CP) using the 14daymodification of theWHOfield test. One hundred and sixty of 196 enrolled patients completed the study. Children in both groups received CQ (25mg/kg) over three days plus CP 6mg (patients <5years) or 8mg stat (>5years) followed by 4mg 8 hourly for 7days. Adults received 1500mg over 3 days in combination withCP, 8mg stat followed by 6mg 8 hourly for 7days. D7 and D14 cure rates were 95.5% and 91.4% in Group 1 versus 87.7% and 77.14% for Group 2 (p=>0.05). Mean PCT and FCT were 2.27±0.84d and 2.56±1.4d versus 2.62±1.36d and 2.7±0.82d in Groups 1 and 2 respectively (p=>0.05). Six patients who earlier failed unsupervised therapy responded to the combination under supervision. CQ-CP is effective in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in the community. However, poor compliance may compromise this cheap and effective regimen.

Keywords: Effectiveness chloroquine chlorpheniramine malaria.