Related Experiment Videos
[The halofantrine treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Clinical experience]
J Villota Arrieta1, G Barreiro Casal, M García López
1Servicio de Pediatría, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid.
Insights
Halofantrine effectively treats malaria in children infected with Plasmodium falciparum, showing a favorable safety profile. This study highlights its potential where chloroquine resistance is prevalent.
Area of Science:
- Tropical Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Increasing resistance to chloroquine in Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Western Africa necessitates alternative treatments.
- Malaria remains a significant public health concern, particularly in pediatric populations in endemic regions.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of halofantrine for treating Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children.
- To assess treatment response, including fever resolution and parasite clearance, and monitor adverse effects.
Summary:
- A study involving 50 children in Equatorial Guinea treated with halofantrine (8 mg/kg x 3 doses) showed complete parasite clearance and fever resolution within 72 hours.
- One case of recurrence was noted on day 10. Halofantrine was well-tolerated, with transient, self-resolving aminotransferase elevations in 3 children.
Impact:
- Halofantrine demonstrates significant potential as a safe and effective therapeutic option for pediatric Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
- Findings support the use of halofantrine in regions facing challenges with existing malaria drug resistance patterns.
Unlabelled:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of halofantrine in the treatment of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum since the resistance of these plasmodium to chloroquine is increasing in countries of Western Africa.
Material And Method:
Between January 1991 and June 1994 we studied 50 children from Equatorial Guinea. All of them were black and between the ages of 8 months and 13 years. They were treated with 3 doses of halofantrine (8 mg/kg every 6 hours). The definitive diagnosis was made by the demonstration of the parasites on thick and thin blood smears, stained by standard methods, repeated every 24-72 yours after therapy. We considered the disappearance of fever and the clearance of plasmodium from the red blood cells as signs of response to the treatment. We also monitored the tolerance and the adverse side effects of the drug.
Results:
All of the patients responded favorably with the disappearance of the fever after 24 hours and after 72 hours no parasites were seen in red blood cells. Only one patient had a recurrence, which occurred on the 10th day. All patient satisfactorily tolerated the drug and only 3 children showed an increase of aminotransferases that was spontaneously cured.
Conclusions:
We conclude that halofantrine is a safe and efficient drug for the treatment of children diagnosed with malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.