A comparative clinical study of mefloquine and chloroquine in the treatment of vivax malaria.

Abstract

Forty-six patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria were evaluated for their clinical and parasitological response to the two single doses of mefloquine in comparison with the standard 3-day treatment with chloroquine. The patients were randomly distributed into 3 groups. Group 1 with 13 patients were treated with a single dose 250 mg mefloquine, Group 2 with 15 patients were treated with a single dose 500 mg mefloquine and Group 3 with 18 cases were treated with the standard 3-day treatment course of 1,500 mg chloroquine. All patients in the three treatment group showed similar parasite, clearance time, fever clearance time and clearance time of signs and symptoms. There were no statistically significant differences between any of the groups. The age and weight, as well as the initial parasite count of the three groups were comparable. This study shows that mefloquine at the dosages used were as effective as the 3-day standard treatment with 1,500 mg chloroquine.

• Authors: A K Alcantara, C V Uylangco, R P Sangalang, J H Cross
• Journal: The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health (Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health) Vol. 16 Issue 4 Pg. 534-8 (Dec 1985) ISSN: 0125-1562 [Print] Thailand
• PMID: 3915155 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antimalarials
• Quinolines
• Chloroquine
• Mefloquine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Antimalarials (therapeutic use)
• Chloroquine (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Malaria (drug therapy)
• Male
• Mefloquine
• Middle Aged
• Plasmodium vivax
• Quinolines (therapeutic use)