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Drugs against chloroquine antimalarial itch
Author(s) -
Asawalam Beatrice,
Osifo Nosakhare Guy,
Haller Louis
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.1993.tb00035.x
Subject(s) - medicine , chloroquine , placebo , dapsone , malaria , ketotifen , anesthesia , pharmacology , dermatology , asthma , immunology , alternative medicine , pathology
Background Limb activity meters are useful in correlation with subjective measurements for studying the antipruritic effects of drugs against current chloroquine itch among patients with malarial fever, in a tropical environment. Objective To prospectively monitor the palliative effects of drugs, without any presumptively significant antipuritic effects known, against moderate to severe chloroquine‐related pruritus among patients with malaria. Methods Using a standard ordinal (0–10) scale questionnaire and limb activity meters on all limbs, 60 subjects (50 malarial patients plus 10 healthy controls; both sexes; aged 16–32 years) were recruited for study. Forty patients and the 10 healthy unmedicated controls completed the study and were used for data analysis. Results Dapsone (50 mg tablets, 8 hourly, orally) significantly reduced pruritus ordinal scores (below 2.5) and limb activity recordings to levels comparable with unmedicated controls by the second or third night of nocturnal monitoring the chloroquine itch among the patients. Clemastine or ketotifen (1 mg tablets, 8 hourly, orally) or prednisolone (5 mg tablets, 12 hourly, for 3 days, then tapered to 5 mg daily for another 2 days, orally), did not significantly exceed the placebo responsiveness to vitamin B‐comple.x tablets (one 8 hourly, orally, for 3 days). Conclusion Dapsone. or sulphapyridine (500 mg tablets, 6 hourly, orally daily for 5 days in another recent investigation) have now emerged as potent symptomatic palliatives against chloroquine pruritus.