Chloroquine and Post Malaria Anaemia Study

Summary

The pathogenesis of post-malaria anaemia is multifactorial. Iron supplementation remains the mainstay of management of moderate and severe anaemia; however the management of mild anaemia (Hb 80-110g/l) is problematic as population supplementation studies of children in malaria endemic areas demonstrate adverse effects in children with mild anaemia. We hypothesize that the anti-inflammatory, anti-malarial and anti-macrophageal iron loading effects of chloroquine could make it a useful drug in the management of mild post malaria anaemia. To test this hypothesis, we plan to randomize children (aged 12 months to 6 years) with post malaria anaemia (Hb 70-110g/l) to receive a standard anti-malarial treatment, co-artemether . All children with parasitologic cure after three days on treatment will be randomised to receive either weekly chloroquine or weekly placebo starting from day 10 till day 90. By comparing the curve of haemoglobin change between day 3 and day 30 in the placebo arms of the two groups, we will test the effect of chloroquine vs. ACT treatment on macrophageal iron loading and release in acute clinical malaria. By comparing the haemoglobin change between day 3 and day 90 between the weekly chloroquine arms and the weekly placebo arms we will test the longer-term anti-inflammatory and anti- malarial effects of weekly chloroquine prophylaxis. In addition to the primary endpoint, we plan to assess potential mechanisms of action by determining parasite clearance, peripheral cytokine production and iron flux

Timeline

Start

2007-07

Primary completion

2009-02

Completion

2009-12

Publications

• Background 1. Weatherall DJ, et al. Br Med Bull 1982;38(2):147-51. 2. Schwartz RS, et al.Blood 1987;69(2):401-7. 4. Looareesuwan S, et al. Acta Trop 1991;48(4):263-70. 5. Abdalla SH, et al. Clin Lab Haematol 1988;10(1):33-40. 6. Jootar S, et al. Clin Lab Haematol 1993;15(2):87-92. 7. Jason J, et al. Clin Immunol 2001;100(2):208-18. 8. Clark IA, et al. Br J Haematol 1988;70(1):99-103. 9. Biemba G, et al. Trop Med Int Health 2000;5(4):256-62. 10. Othoro C, et al, J Infect Dis 1999;179(1):279-82. 11. Luty AJ, et al. Infect Immun 2000;68(7):3909-15. 12. Camacho LH, et al. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 1998;92(5):525-37. 13. Kwiatkowski D, et al. Clin Exp Immunol 1989;77(3):361-6. 15. Wenisch C, et al. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 1995;74(1):115-7. 17. Helleberg M, et al. Malar J 2005;4(1):56. 18. Knutson M, et al, Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2003;38(1):61-88. 23. Abdalla S, et al. Br J Haematol 1980;46(2):171-83. 24. Bojang KA, et al. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1997;91(5):557-61. 30. Moore HP, et al. Nature 1983;302(5907):434-6. 31. Agarwal SL, et al, Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 1963;143:401-7. 32. Ayitey-Smith E, et al. J Pharm Pharmacol 1974;26(3):208-9. 33. Moss RB. Chest 1995;107(3):817-25. 34. Lancz GJ, et al. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1971;136(4):1289-93. 35. Tsai WP, et al. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 1990;6(4):481-9. 36. Boelaert JR, et al. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2001;26(3):300-1. 37. Neale ML, et al.Immunology 1988;64(1):81-5. 39. Cash JM, et al. N Engl J Med 1994;330(19):1368-75. 40. Legssyer R, et al. Biochem Pharmacol 1999;57(8):907-11. 41. Salihu HM, et al. Trop Med Int Health 2002;7(1):29-34. 42. Cot M, le Hesran JY, et al. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 1998;92(1):37-43.
• Cox SE, Nweneka CV, Doherty CP, Fulford AJ, Moore SE, Prentice AM. Randomised controlled trial of weekly chloroquine to re-establish normal erythron iron flux and haemoglobin recovery in postmalarial anaemia. BMJ Open. 2013 Jul 4;3(7):e002666. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002666. Print 2013.

Drugs

Indications