14635
document
The relationship between the response of Plasmodium falciparum malaria to mefloquine in African children and its sensitivity in vitro . The clinical efficacy of two doses of mefloquine ( 15 and 25 mg/kg body weight ) was evaluated in 85 children suffering from acute symptomatic falciparum malaria . The cure rate on day 28 was 100 % in both groups . There was no significant difference ( P > 0.05 ) in the mean parasite and fever clearance times in both groups ( 48.5 +/- 14.6 and 32.0 +/- 12.7 h respectively for the 25 mg/kg group and 49.0 +/- 15.1 and 30.0 +/- 13.3 h respectively for the 15 mg/kg group ) . There was also no significant difference ( P > 0.05 ) in these values between children with hyperparasitaemia ( 53.6 +/- 11.1 and 36.0 +/- 17.0 h respectively ) and those without hyperparasitaemia ( 49.1 +/- 13.6 and 31.8 +/- 14.6 h respectively ) . Recurrence of parasitaemia was observed after day 30 in 2 patients in the 15 mg/kg group and in 1 patient in the 25 mg/kg group . In vitro , 3 of 21 isolates showed reduced susceptibility to mefloquine , with minimum inhibitory concentrations ( MIC ) > 67 nM/litre . The MIC and 50 % , 90 % and 99 % inhibitory concentrations were 200.8 , 6.27 , 31.7 and 119.6 nM/litre respectively . Four of 22 isolates were resistant to chloroquine ( MIC > 108 nM/litre ) . Isolates that showed low sensitivity to mefloquine in vitro were sensitive to chloroquine in vitro , and the 4 that were resistant to chloroquine were sensitive to mefloquine . Irrespective of MIC and dose of mefloquine , parasitaemia cleared in all subjects in 96 h or less . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS )
14636
Intervention_Pharmacological
mefloquine
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Intervention_Pharmacological
mefloquine
14638
Intervention_Pharmacological
mefloquine
14639
Intervention_Pharmacological
chloroquine
14640
Intervention_Pharmacological
mefloquine
14641
Outcome_Other
cure rate
14642
Outcome_Physical
mean parasite and fever clearance times
14643
Outcome_Physical
Recurrence of parasitaemia
14644
Outcome_Other
susceptibility to mefloquine
14645
Outcome_Other
inhibitory concentrations
14646
Outcome_Other
resistant
14647
Outcome_Other
sensitivity
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Participant_Sample-size
85
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Participant_Age
children
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Participant_Condition
acute symptomatic falciparum malaria .