Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012;7(8):e42284.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042284. Epub 2012 Aug 17.

A longitudinal trial comparing chloroquine as monotherapy or in combination with artesunate, azithromycin or atovaquone-proguanil to treat malaria

Miriam K Laufer  1 , Phillip C Thesing, Fraction K Dzinjalamala, Osward M Nyirenda, Rhoda Masonga, Matthew B Laurens, Abbie Stokes-Riner, Terrie E Taylor, Christopher V Plowe
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A longitudinal trial comparing chloroquine as monotherapy or in combination with artesunate, azithromycin or atovaquone-proguanil to treat malaria

Miriam K Laufer et al. PLoS One. 2012.

Abstract

Background: The predominance of chloroquine-susceptible falciparum malaria in Malawi more than a decade after chloroquine's withdrawal permits contemplation of re-introducing chloroquine for targeted uses. We aimed to compare the ability of different partner drugs to preserve chloroquine efficacy and prevent the re-emergence of resistance.

Methodology/principal findings: Children with uncomplicated malaria were enrolled at a government health center in Blantyre, Malawi. Participants were randomized to receive chloroquine alone or combined with artesunate, azithromycin or atovaquone-proguanil for all episodes of uncomplicated malaria for one year. The primary outcome was incidence of clinical malaria. Secondary endpoints included treatment efficacy, and incidence of the chloroquine resistance marker pfcrt T76 and of anemia. Of the 640 children enrolled, 628 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Malaria incidence (95% confidence interval) was 0.59 (.46-.74), .61 (.49-.76), .63 (.50-.79) and .68 (.54-.86) episodes/person-year for group randomized to receive chloroquine alone or in combination with artesunate, azithromycin or atovaquone-proguanil respectively and the differences were not statistically significant. Treatment efficacy for first episodes was 100% for chloroquine monotherapy and 97.9% for subsequent episodes of malaria. Similar results were seen in each of the chloroquine combination groups. The incidence of pfcrt T76 in pure form was 0%; mixed infections with both K76 and T76 were found in two out of 911 infections. Young children treated with chloroquine-azithromycin had higher hemoglobin concentrations at the study's end than did those in the chloroquine monotherapy group.

Conclusion/significance: Sustained chloroquine efficacy with repeated treatment supports the eventual re-introduction of chloroquine combinations for targeted uses such as intermittent preventive treatment.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00379821.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: MKL received an investigator-initiate grant from Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals from 2006–2010. Azithromycin was donated by Pfizer, Inc.. ASR is employed by EMMES Corporation. There are no patents, products in development or further marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLoS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in the guide for authors.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Consort Diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Malaria-free survival from initial episode to first subsequent episode.
CQ, Chloroquine.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Mean and 95% confidence interval for hemoglobin measured at baseline and routine study follow-up visits.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Noedl H, Se Y, Schaecher K, Smith BL, Socheat D, et al. (2008) Evidence of artemisinin-resistant malaria in western Cambodia. N Engl J Med 359: 2619–2620. - PubMed
    1. Dondorp AM, Nosten F, Yi P, Das D, Phyo AP, et al. (2009) Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria. N Engl J Med 361: 455–467. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kublin JG, Cortese JF, Njunju EM, Mukadam RA, Wirima JJ, et al. (2003) Reemergence of chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum malaria after cessation of chloroquine use in Malawi. J Infect Dis 187: 1870–1875. - PubMed
    1. Laufer MK, Thesing PC, Eddington ND, Masonga R, Dzinjalamala FK, et al. (2006) Return of chloroquine antimalarial efficacy in Malawi. N Engl J Med 355: 1959–1966. - PubMed
    1. Frosch AE, Venkatesan M, Laufer MK (2011) Patterns of chloroquine use and resistance in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of household survey and molecular data. Malar J 10: 116. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data