Outcome of Presumptive Versus Rapid Diagnostic Tests-Based Management of Childhood Malaria - Pneumonia Overlap in Urban Nigeria: A Pilot Quasi-Experimental Study

BACKGROUND: Symptoms of malaria and pneumonia overlap in African under-five children and the integrated management of childhood illness strategy require that such children be managed presumptively with both antibiotics and antimalarials. A 2003 WHO expert meeting recommended the evaluation of malaria rapid diagnostic test in the management of children with this overlap, but this has not been evaluated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of presumptive versus malaria rapid diagnostic test-based management of childhood malaria-pneumonia overlap in Nigeria. METHODS: A pilot quasi-experimental study was conducted November 2009 through February 2010 in an urban comprehensive health centre in Ogun, South-Western Nigeria. First, 50 children with malaria-pneumonia symptom overlap were consecutively enrolled and treated presumptively with antibiotics and antimalarials irrespective of malaria test result (control arm).Then, another 50 eligible children were enrolled and treated with antibiotics with/out antimalarials based on rapid diagnostic test result (intervention arm). Primary endpoint: clinical cure at day-5. The data were analyzed using Epi Info version 3.4.1. RESULTS: The intervention and control arms did not differ significantly regarding patient demographic and clinical characteristics. Clinical cure rate was slightly higher in children managed presumptively 49 (98%) than those managed rapid diagnostic test -based 47 (94%) (P = 0.31). However, rapid diagnostic test -based treated children had lower risk of receiving antimalarials compared to those treated presumptively (48% vs. 100%), (P = <0.001; relative risk 2.08, CI 1.56 to 2.78). No death or severe complications were recorded in either group at day-5 follow-up. CONCLUSION: Outcome of rapid diagnostic test-based treatment is not inferior to presumptive management in children with malaria-pneumonia symptom overlap. More extensive studies with larger sample sizes are needed.