Although the Artemisinin-based combination is the treatment of choice for treating malaria, experts have recorded adverse reactions to its two common combinations, Artemether/Lumefantrine and Artesunate/Amodiaquine, in children, putting this at 14 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

In a new study, researchers said the incidence of adverse reactions to these malaria medicines occur in 12 of every 1000 patients per day in Ibadan, although no notable factor was associated with these reactions.

The researchers had enrolled 120 children aged two to 10 years with uncomplicated malaria, giving some Artemether/Lumefantrine and others Artesunate/Amodiaquine. They were monitored for treatment-emergent signs and symptoms for 28 days.

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The adverse drug signs and symptoms recorded include cough, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, rash, fever, irritability, insomnia and headache. But fever was the most prevalent presenting complaints occurring in all the enrollees.

The findings of the study, entitled “Adverse Drug Reactions to Two Artemisinin-based combination Therapies – Artemether/Lumefantrine and Artesunate/Amodiaquine in Children with Acute uncomplicated Malaria in Ibadan” carried out by Oluwafunmibi Anjorin and Catherine O, Falade was presented at the sixth Unibadan Conference of Biomedical Research.

Malaria remains a public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially among children and pregnant women. And adverse drug reactions have been observed in these Artemisinin-based combination therapies, the current treatment of choice for malaria.

Statistics from the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) shows that Nigeria accounts for 29 per cent of the global burden of malaria. Nationwide, malaria prevalence varies widely, ranging from 14 per cent in the South East Zone to 37 per cent in the North West Zone.

Left untreated, they may develop severe complications and die. The World Health Organisation estimates that in 2015, malaria caused 214 million clinical episodes and 438,000 deaths.

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