Table 1.
Characteristics of five trials of IPT in schoolchildren
| Clarke [24] | Dicko [23] | Barger [25] | Nankabirwa [26] | Nankabirwa [27] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country and enrolment period | Kenya (Bondo), March 2005–March 2006 | Mali (Kambila), July 2002–July 2003 | Mali (Kollé), September 2007–January 2008 | Uganda (Tororo), February 2008–July 2008 | Uganda (Tororo), February 2011–February 2012 |
| Pattern of transmission | Intense and perennial with seasonal peaks | Seasonal transmission | Seasonal transmission | Entomological inoculation rate in 2001–2002 was 562 | high-intensity year-round, estimated entomological inoculation rate of 562 |
| Bed net use | 25.5 % | <5 % | Not available | 27.7 % | 35.4 % |
| Study design | Stratified, cluster randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled | Randomized open controlled | Randomized open placebo-controlled trial | Randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled trial | Randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial |
| Number of children based on ITT | 4916 | 262 | 296 | 780 | 740 |
| Randomization | Stratified cluster | Individual | Individual | Individual | Individual |
| IPTsc drugs and timing of delivery | SP + AQ every 4 months | SP bimonthly | SP + AS and AQ + AS only at baseline | SP, SP + AQ and DP only at baseline | DP monthly and DP every 3 and 5 months |
| Age of study participants | 5–18 years | 6 months–10 years | 6–13 years | 8–12 years for girls and 8–14 years for boys | 6–14 years |
| Follow-up duration | 12 months | 12 months | 11 months | 42 days | 12 months |
| Primary endpoint | Prevalence of anaemia | Incidence of clinical malaria | Incidence of clinical malaria and risk of asymptomatic parasitaemia | Risk of asymptomatic parasitaemia at 42 days | Incidence of clinical malaria over 12 months. |
| Secondary endpoint | School performances | The in vivo response of Plasmodium falciparum to SP | Impact on haemoglobin concentration | Impact on haemoglobin | Parasite prevalence and anemia over 12 months |
| Control | Dual placebo | Passive surveillance | Placebo | Placebo | Placebo |
ITT intention to treat analysis, IPT intermittent preventive treatment, SP Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, SP + AQ sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine, SP + AS sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus artesunate, AQ + AS amodiaquine plus artesunate, DP dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine