Plasma level of quinidine in Myanmar patients with falciparum malaria

ABSTRACT

Plasma level of quinidine on 14 adult male falciparum malaria patients were studied. The patients consisted of 7 with low level of parasites in blood and 7 with high level of parasites ( > 5 percent RBC parasitised). All the patients received infusion of quinidine 15 mg/kg body weight diluted in 500 cc normal saline as initial loading dose, followed by infusion 7.5 mg/kg body weight 8 hourly for another two doses and than followed by oral quinidine 7.5 mg/kg 3 times a day for 7 days. Plasma for quinidine estimation was collected at the following hours 0,1,2,4,6,9,12,36,48 hours and on days. 3,4 and 7 of the study period. In patients with low level of parasites, the maximum plasma quinidine level reached the peak 6.8 ug/ml onthe 4th day of treatment. After the first dose of treatment, it reached 4.3 ug/ml at 2nd hour. Among patients with high level of parasites, the maximum plasma quinidine concentration was 6.6 ug/ml and this concentration was obtained at 9th hour after the first dose. The mean plasma concentration of the 2 groups was not statistically different.