Malaria N° 8 - Subject N° 2

PREVALENCE OF CHLOROQUINE-INDUCED PRURITUS EVIDENCE FOR HEREDO-FAMILIAL FACTORS
O.G. Ademowo, O. Walker & Sodeinde

SUMMARY
An interview was conducted amongst 331 patients administrated chloroquine for chemotherapy of Malaria using pre-tested questionnaire. The questionnaire sought to know about the subjects and their family vis-à-vis chloroquine-induced pruritus (CIP).
133 Patients (40.2%) experienced itching to chloroquine. All those prone to itching to chloroquine did so after the oral administration while only 4 of 24 (17%) Patients who took chloroquine itched. Antihistamines were found to be poorly effective against (CIP).
Itching was found to be significantly more common among the families (first degree relations) of itchers but less common among those of non-itchers, In 20 of these families, Itching reportedly starts between the ages of 3 and 5 years while in 4 families itching disappears between 12 and 18 years. These are suggestive of heredofamilial basis to CIP, percentage of individuals prone to itching to chloroquine increased with age up to 40 years but fell among senior adults who were above 60 years old.

These results show that CIP is a major problem in Malaria therapy and that adults itched more than children. It's also suggestive that CIP may be controlled by certain genetic factors.