Efficacy and safety of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for malaria in African infants: a pooled analysis of six randomised, placebo-controlled trials

• From: Department for International Development
• Published: 1 January 2009

• Country: Tanzania, Gabon, Mozambique, Ghana
• Document Type: Journal Article
• Theme: Health
• Authors: Critchley, J., Tanner, M., Chandramohan, D., Greenwood, B., Premji, Z., May, J., Adjei, S., Owusu-Agyei, S., Carneiro, I., Mshinda, H., Alonso, P., Schellenberg, D., Aponte, J.J., Egan, A., Breckenridge, A., Danquah, I., Dodoo, A., Kobbe, R., Lell, B., Sanz, S., Sevene, E., Soulaymani-Becheikh, R., Winstanley, P., Anemana, S., Issifou, S., Mockenhaupt, F., Grobusch, M.P., Kremsner, P.G., Macete, E., Newman, R.D., Slutsker, L., Menendez, C.

Abstract

Background: Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) is a promising strategy for malaria control in infants. We undertook a pooled analysis of the safety and efficacy of IPT in infants (IPTi) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in Africa.

Methods: We pooled data from six double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trials (undertaken one each in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Gabon, and three in Ghana) that assessed the efficacy of IPTi with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. In all trials, IPTi or placebo was given to infants at the time of routine vaccinations delivered by WHO's Expanded Program on Immunization. Data from the trials for incidence of clinical malaria, risk of anaemia (packed-cell volume
Findings: The six trials provided data for 7930 infants (IPTi, n=3958; placebo, n=3972). IPTi had a protective efficacy of 30·3% (95% CI 19·8—39·4, p
Interpretation: IPTi with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine was safe and efficacious across a range of malaria transmission settings, suggesting that this intervention is a useful contribution to malaria control.

Citation

Lancet (2009) 374 (9700) 1533-1542 [doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61258-7]

Links

Efficacy and safety of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for malaria in African infants: a pooled analysis of six randomised, placebo-controlled trials

Published 1 January 2009