Chloroquine phosphate suppositories in the treatment of childhood malaria in Calabar, Nigeria

In a randomized, prospective study of the therapy of acute falciparum malaria in 69 children, aged 6 to 60 months, the results of treatment with chloroquine phosphate suppositories (30 patients) and chloroquine sulfate syrup (39 patients) were compared. Each patient received 25mg chloroquine base/kg body weight over 3 consecutive days (day 0,lO mgkg; day 1,lO mg/kg; and day 2, 5 mg/kg). The parasitologic cure rate was 33% (lo/301 in the chloroquine phosphate suppository group and 36% (14/39) in the chloroquine sulfate syrup group. In addition, the mean pretreatment parasite counts of the chloroquinesensitive cases were not significantly different in the two groups. However, pyrexia resolved slightly more slowly in the suppository group, although all sensitive patients in both groups were afebrile on day 3. The results suggest that chloroquine phosphate suppositories are as effective as chloroquine sulfate syrup in the treatment of children with malaria caused by chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium fakiparum.