PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Adam, Ishag
AU  - Ali, Daw A.
AU  - Alwaseila, Altaeib
AU  - Kheir, Mousa M.
AU  - Elbashir, Mustafa I.
TI  - Mefloquine in the treatment of falciparum malaria during pregnancy in Eastern Sudan
DP  - 2004 Oct 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 1400--1402
VI  - 25
IP  - 10
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/25/10/1400.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/25/10/1400.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2004 Oct 01; 25
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy and toxicity of mefloquine therapy both on expectant mothers and the outcome of their pregnancies.METHODS: We performed a prospective non-comparative clinical trial in New Halfa Teaching Hospital, Eastern Sudan, during the period October 1998 to June 2001. Pregnant Sudanese women were given mefloquine 25 mg/kg for treatment of falciparum malaria following chloroquine failure. The women were followed every 2 weeks in the antenatal clinic until delivery. The babies were followed until the age of one year.RESULTS: Forty pregnant women were enrolled in the second and third trimesters. Itching which occurred in 17.5% and nausea which occurred in 35% were the cardinal side effects of the patients. Recrudescence or re-infection occurred on day 14 in one patient (2.5%). One patient that received mefloquine at 34 weeks gestational age delivered low birth weight (2.1 kg) at 39 weeks gestational age. One child died at the age of 7 months due to unexplained febrile illness. There was no abortion, no stillbirth and no congenital abnormality in the newborn children and no maternal death.CONCLUSION: Forty pregnant women were enrolled in the second and third trimesters. Itching which occurred in 17.5% and nausea which occurred in 35% were the cardinal side effects of the patients. Recrudescence or re-infection occurred on day 14 in one patient (2.5%). One patient that received mefloquine at 34 weeks gestational age delivered low birth weight (2.1 kg) at 39 weeks gestational age. One child died at the age of 7 months due to unexplained febrile illness. There was no abortion, no stillbirth and no congenital abnormality in the newborn children and no maternal death.