Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41094485›Full record

Trial reportMalaria journal2025

Plasma folate dynamics in Plasmodium falciparum-infected African children treated with artemisinin combination therapy and single low-dose primaquine or placebo.

Seun Ajayi, Marie A Onyamboko, Peter Olupot-Olupot, Dhol S Ayuen, Natenapa Chimjinda, Chiraporn Taya, Thomas N Williams, Sophie Uyoga, Kathryn Maitland, Caterina Fanello and 3 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Malaria journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Seun AjayiCentre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. seunajayi.ng@gmail.com.
Marie A OnyambokoKinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Avenue Tombalbaye 68-78, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Peter Olupot-OlupotMbale Clinical Research Institute (MCRI), P.O. Box 1966, Mbale, Uganda.
Dhol S AyuenCentre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Natenapa ChimjindaMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Chiraporn TayaMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Thomas N WilliamsKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
Sophie UyogaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
Kathryn MaitlandKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
Caterina FanelloCentre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Nicholas P J DayCentre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Mavuto Mukaka *Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Walter R J Taylor *Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. bob@tropmedres.ac.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdding single low-dose (0.25 mg/kg) primaquine (SLDPQ) to block Plasmodium falciparum transmission is now a WHO recommendation. Whether SLDPQ increases haemolysis in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient (G6PDd) patients, leading to increased folate demand and impaired haemoglobin (Hb) recovery is unknown. This study sought to answer this question.

methodsThis randomized, placebo-controlled trial measured serial plasma folate concentrations [Day (D) 0, 3, 7 and 28] in falciparum-infected Ugandan and Congolese children (6 months to 11 years), treated with age-dosed SLDPQ/placebo and artemether-lumefantrine/dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine. Genotyping defined G6PD (G6PD c.202T allele) status. Multiple linear and non-linear, mixed effects, cubic spline regression were fitted to identify factors significantly associated with plasma folate at baseline and over time, respectively.

results408 children (3 had missing D0 values) had ≥ 1 plasma folate value. Of these, 66 (16.2%) were G6PD-deficient, 51 (12.5%) heterozygous females, 283 normal and 8 unknown. Mean baseline folate concentrations were 10.83 [standard deviation (SD) 3.58, SLDPQ] vs 10.92 (SD 4.54, placebo) ng/ml, associated independently with baseline Hb [estimate: 0.52 ng/ml (95% CI: 0.26 to 0.79, p = 0.0001)] and baseline parasitaemia [estimate: - 0.18 ng/ml (- 0.32 to - 0.05, p = 0.007)]. For all patients, mean plasma folate concentration paralleled mean haemoglobin concentration with an initial mean fall of 1.65 ng/ml (p < 0.0001 vs. baseline), followed by a sustained rise achieving a mean D28 concentration of 11.04 (SD 4.45) ng/ml. Over time, only age (p = 0.0001), male sex (p = 0.017) and baseline parasitaemia (p = 0.029) were significantly associated with a reduced plasma folate.

conclusionSLDPQ and G6PD status did not compromise posttreatment plasma folate concentrations in young children with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria, providing additional evidence of SLDPQ safety and supporting its use without G6PD testing. Trial registration The trial is registered, reference number ISRCTN11594437.

Indexed as

AntimalarialsArtemisininsFolic AcidMalaria, FalciparumPlasmaPrimaquineChildChild, PreschoolCongoDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHumansInfantMalePlacebosUgandaAntimalarialsartemisininArtemisininsFolic AcidPlacebosPrimaquineFolateGlucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenaseMalariaSingle low-dose primaquine

Identifiers

PMID41094485
PMCPMC12522960

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.