Therapeutic Efficacy of Chloroquine vs Artemether/lumefantrine Combination in Vivax Malaria in Nowshera and Surroundings

Abstract

Objective: The study's main objective is to find the therapeutic Efficacy of chloroquine vs. artemether/lumefantrine 
combination in vivax malaria in Nowshera and its surroundings.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at department of medicine, CMH hospital, Nowshera, 
from June 2019 to January 2020.
Materials and Methods: The data was collected from 121 patients with malaria. Total vivax-infected patients were 
divided in two groups. The Chloroquine group consisted of 62 patients, and Artemether/Lumefantrine group had 59 
patients. All patients under investigation were male patients due to the non-availability of a facility for female 
admissions in the treatment centre. All study participants received the P. vivax infection treatment plan in 
accordance with national medication policy. The data was gathered and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Each value was 
expressed as the mean SD.
Results: The patient’s mean age was 29.39 years and range between 19 to 57 years. Both groups showed similar 
resolution in fever after 24 hours. Mean hemoglobin, bilirubin, ALT and ALP were 14.4 g/dl, 9.7 µmol/L, 45.2 U/L, 
and 168.2 IU/L respectively. After applying the chi-square test, the difference in response to treatment with 
Chloroquine and Lumefantrine/Artemether was insignificant (p-value=0.35). However, the mean time in resolution 
of symptoms was less in the Chloroquine group. No significant adverse effects were experienced with both 
treatments.
Conclusion: It is concluded that there is no difference in response to treatment with Chloroquine and 
Lumefantrine/Artemeter for Vivax Malaria in the Nowshera and suburbs.