EFFICACY OF HALOFANTRINE HYDROCHLORIDE IN VIVAX MALARIA

Objective: To determine the efficacy of Halofantrine Hydrochloride in plasmodium vivax positive malaria.Material and Methods: This study was conducted at DHQH Timergera, from January 2003-December 2003 and District Teaching Hospital, Dera Ismail Khan, from January 2004-Decemher 2004. Patients presenting with fever and a laboratory diagnosis of plasmodium vivax in their blood were included in the study. Halofantrine Hydrochloride in tablet form was given in a dose of 500mg at six hourly intervals for three doses. Temperature record was kept and peripheral smear for malarial parasite vivax was done after 12 hours of the dose of Halofantrine and thereafter after every 24 hours for three consecutive days and again after 14 and 21 days for possibility of relapse.Results: Of the 109 patients included in the study, 51 patients (46.79%) showed clinical response and their blood showed clearance of malarial parasite after three days of study. Fifty-eight patients (53.21%) did not clear up the malarial parasite and were still febrile after three days of therapy. Median fever clearance was 24 hours and median parasite clearance was also 24 hours. On follow-up, four (3.67%) of them relapsed in the three weeks and were still PI. Vivax present in their blood. None of the patients reported adverse side effects.Conclusion: Halofantrine, though a convenient drug has an efficacy of only 46.8%, a relapse rate of 3.7% and a failure of 53.21%. It should therefore be used with caution as malaria is a deadly disease.