Effect of weekly versus daily primaquine on Plasmodium vivax malaria recurrences: A real-life cohort study

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2022 Apr 29:55:e07382021. doi: 10.1590/0037-8682-0738-2021. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Background: Although primaquine (PQ) is indicated for G6PD-deficient patients, data on weekly PQ use in Brazil are limited.

Methods: We aimed to investigate malaria recurrences among participants receiving daily and weekly PQ treatments in a real-life setting of two municipalities in the Amazon between 2019 and 2020.

Results: Patients receiving weekly PQ treatment had a lower risk of recurrence than those receiving daily PQ treatment (risk ratio: 0.62, 95% confidence interval: 0.41-0.94), using a model adjusted for study site.

Conclusions: Weekly PQ use did not increase the risk of malaria recurrence. Further studies with larger populations are warranted.

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials* / therapeutic use
  • Cohort Studies
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Vivax* / drug therapy
  • Primaquine / therapeutic use
  • Recurrence

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Primaquine