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ObjectiveSchistosomiasis is known to occur in preschool-aged children, but achieving accurate dosing of praziquantel in its current form is challenging. While waiting for a paediatric formulation, there is a need to develop a means for using the available products to treat this age group. Current 600-mg tablets are differently scored to give units of 150 mg (a quarter of a tablet) or 300 mg (half a tablet).MethodsWe examined several dosing schemes to dose accurately (40-60 mg/kg) children aged 3-72 months (weight range 4-25 kg, based on available weight-for-age growth references from sub-Saharan Africa and Brazil, n = 106,230).ResultsAdequate dosing can be achieved with formulations that can be split into four 150 mg quarters for children weighing 5 kg or more, and with tablets than can be split into two 300 mg halves for children weighing 10 kg or more. Giving ½ tablet for 5-7 kg; ¾ tablet for 8-10 kg; 1 tablet for 11-15 kg; 1 ½ tablet for 16-21 kg; and two tablets for 22-25 kg will have 100% of subjects correctly dosed within the target 40-60 mg/kg range.ConclusionsFormulations that can be divided into four parts (to give 150 mg increments) are preferred for children weighing less than 11 kg; the same dosing can be applied with 600 mf praziquantel formulations that can be divided into four quarters or two halves from 11 kg body weight.

Original publication

DOI

10.1111/tmi.12152

Type

Journal article

Journal

Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH

Publication Date

09/2013

Volume

18

Pages

1085 - 1089

Addresses

UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), Geneva, Switzerland.

Keywords

Humans, Schistosomiasis, Body Weight, Praziquantel, Anthelmintics, Treatment Outcome, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Child, Child, Preschool, Infant, Africa South of the Sahara, Brazil, Female, Male