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Chemoprophylaxis and intermittent treatment for preventing malaria in children

M M Meremikwu1, S Donegan, E Esu

  • 1University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, PMB 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. mmeremiku@yahoo.co.uk

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|April 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Regular antimalarial drug administration, including prophylaxis or intermittent treatment, significantly reduces clinical malaria episodes and severe anemia in young children. This approach is a key strategy for malaria prevention in endemic regions.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Tropical Medicine
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Malaria frequently causes illness in children residing in malaria-endemic areas.
  • Preventive strategies, such as regular antimalarial drug administration (prophylaxis or intermittent treatment), are being considered for preschool-aged children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of antimalarial drugs administered at regular intervals (prophylaxis or intermittent treatment) in preventing malaria among young children in malaria-endemic regions.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review and meta-analysis of individually and cluster-randomized controlled trials were conducted.
  • Searches included major databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS) and contacted researchers.
  • Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors, with meta-analyses using random-effects models where appropriate.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-one trials involving 19,394 children were included.
  • Antimalarial prophylaxis or intermittent treatment significantly reduced clinical malaria episodes (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.74) and severe anemia (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.94).
  • Fewer hospital admissions were observed (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.82), with no significant difference in all-cause mortality (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.23).

Conclusions:

  • Regular administration of antimalarial drugs, through prophylaxis or intermittent treatment, is effective in reducing clinical malaria and severe anemia in preschool-aged children.
  • This intervention is a valuable public health strategy for malaria control in endemic areas.
  • Long-term effects on morbidity and mortality require further investigation with larger sample sizes.
Abstract

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