Hemoglobin change following first line treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria with artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine in Burkina Faso

INTRODUCTION: Anemia is one of the common complications of malaria infection in endemic countries of sub-Saharan Africa. We investigated the hemoglobin change following first line therapies for uncomplicated malaria in Burkina Faso. METHODS: participants over 6 months old who consented to participate in opened randomized clinical trial were given either artemether-lumefantrine or artesunate-amodiaquine for three days and hemoglobin was measured and assessed on day 0, 7 and 28 (or last day) on venous blood. RESULTS: overall, 138 participants were enrolled in artemether-lumefantrine and 143 in artesunate-amodiaquine groups. The proportion of anemic participants increased in either group in the period day 0-7(52.99% versus 73.5% in artemether-lumefantrine and 51.18% versus 75.81% in artesunate-amodiaquine group) and decrease afterward between day 0 and day 28 (52.99% versus 35.65% in artemether-lumefantrine and 51.18% versus 37.6% in artesunate-amodiaquine group) and between day 7 and day 28(73.5% versus 35.65% in artemether-lumefantrine and 75.81% versus 37.6 % in artesunate-amodiaquine group). According to clinical outcome, 32.2% and 39.47% of cured participants in artmether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine groups respectively remained anemic. CONCLUSION: despite successful treatment of uncomplicated malaria with artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine, the first seven days following the onset of the treatment remained a period of risk for the patients; furthermore, this study confirmed that anemia goes beyond malaria. Integrated approaches are warranted for its control.