Controlled trial of 3-day quinine-clindamycin treatment versus 7-day quinine treatment for adult travelers with uncomplicated falciparum malaria imported from the tropics
P. Parola et al., Controlled trial of 3-day quinine-clindamycin treatment versus 7-day quinine treatment for adult travelers with uncomplicated falciparum malaria imported from the tropics, ANTIM AG CH, 45(3), 2001, pp. 932-935
We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to compar
e a 3-day quinine-clindamycin regimen (group QC) with a 7-day quinine regim
en (group Q) for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malar
ia in travelers returning from the tropics. A total of 55 and 53 patients i
n groups Q and QC were analyzed, respectively. Adverse effects were similar
in both groups, although two patients in group Q had severe adverse reacti
ons, leading to the cessation of treatment. The 28-day cure rate for the ev
aluated patients (per-protocol analysis) was 100% for group QC, whereas it
was 96.3% for group Q (P = 0.5). The 28-day cure rate in the intention-to-t
reat analysis was 96.2% for group QC, whereas it was 94.6% for group Q (P =
1). There were no significant differences between the two regimens with re
gard to parasite and fever clearance times. Our study shows that the 3-day
quinine-clindamycin regimen is well tolerated and compares favorably with a
7-day quinine treatment. This short-term regimen had previously been evalu
ated only in areas of endemicity, According to our results, the 3-day quini
ne-clindamycin regimen may be an alternative for the treatment of imported
uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in travelers returning from the tropics
.