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Investigation of Short Course, High Dose Primaquine Treatment for Liver Stages of Plasmodium Vivax Infection

Phase 4
Conditions
Plasmodium Vivax
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT02364583
Lead Sponsor
Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research
Brief Summary

This study specifically seeks to provide data on the safety, tolerability and pilot efficacy of short course, high dose primaquine treatment in Papua New Guinean children aged 5-10 years, in a cross-sectional study design. Community screened asymptomatic cases and/or cases of clinically diagnosed malaria admitted to the out-patient units of the health center, will be screened for Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) and malaria illness by rapid diagnostic test and P. vivax infection confirmed by light microscopy. Following treatment with artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem), G6PD normal children will be enrolled into the study and followed for 2 months. Primaquine treatment will be allocated to study participants in a step-wise design; firstly receiving the current 14 day treatment regimen of 0.5 mg/kg total dose (n=40); secondly, a 7 day treatment regimen receiving a total dose of 1.0 mg/kg/day; then thirdly, receive 1.0 mg/kg twice daily dose (bd) for a total of 3.5 days, should the 7 day treatment prove to be safe and well tolerated. In addition to this dose-escalation study, the pharmacokinetic profiles of single doses of 0.5 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg will be determined using an intensive sampling protocol, in children aged 5-10 years. The pharmacokinetic profiles obtained by this sub-study will be essential for modeling the population pharmacokinetic data obtained from the dose-escalation study. As there is currently no data on the safety, tolerability and efficacy of primaquine in children, the present study will validate previous observation and contribute to the knowledge of primaquine as a treatment for liver stages of Plasmodium vivax infection.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
150
Inclusion Criteria
  • Permanent resident in study area
  • Absence of history of hypersensitivity reactions to pre-treatment drugs
  • Positive for P. vivax infections on blood smear or PCR
  • Normal G6PD enzyme activity
Exclusion Criteria
  • Features of severe malaria
  • Clinical evidence of nonmalarial illness
  • Severe malnutrition (weight for age nutritional Z score <60th percentile)
  • Moderate to severe anemia (Hb <8g/dL)
  • Permanent disability which prevents or impedes study participation

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
14 day dose regimenPrimaquine0.5 mg/kg oral Primaquine administered daily for 14 days
7 day dose regimenPrimaquine1.0 mg/kg oral Primaquine administered daily for 7 days
3.5 day dose regimenPrimaquine1.0 mg/kg oral Primaquine administered twice daily (bd) for 3.5 days
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Safety and tolerability as measured by methemoglobin2 months post baseline
Safety and tolerability as measured by hemoglobin2 months post baseline
Safety and tolerability as measured by liver biochemistry2 months post baseline
Safety and tolerability as measured by symptom questionnaire2 months post baseline
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pharmacokinetics - clearance (CL)42 days
Time to first or only clinical Plasmodium vivax episode2 months from baseline
Comparison of the rate of incidence of P. vivax relapses in 3.5 or 7 day treatment arm compared to standard 14 day regimen2 months from baseline
Pharmacokinetics - elimination half-life (t1/2)42 days
Pharmacokinetics - volume of distribution (Vd)42 days
Pharmacokinetics - maximal concentration (Cmax)42 days
Time to first or only Plasmodium vivax infection by light microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)2 months from baseline

Thick and thin blood films, along with PCR samples, will be collected at time of recruitment and then at any time the participant develops fever within the study period.

Pharmacokinetics - area under the curve (AUC)42 days

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

PNG Institute of Medical Research

🇵🇬

Madang, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea

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