Validating the WHO dose pole in the Philippines for school-based mass drug administration of praziquantel for morbidity control of schistosomiasis

Abstract

Praziquantel typically requires weight-based field administration when used to treat helminthic diseases. Proper dosage adjustment of praziquantel by bodyweight can be difficult to achieve if accurate weighing scales are unavailable. The WHO has recommended for use a dose pole that substitutes height for weight during field administrations of praziquantel. This cross-sectional study aims to validate the WHO dose pole for Philippine populations using height and drug administration data collected from 1427 Filipino schoolchildren. This study expands upon prior studies by specifically targeting Filipino schoolchildren and by introducing statistical techniques to increase the rigor of the validation process. The study found an average dose of 42.7 mg per kg (mg/kg) administered among 1427 students with a standard deviation of 3.5 mg/kg. The dose pole estimated a WHO-recommended dose (40-60 mg/kg) in 93.5% of students and a WHO-accepted dose (30-60 mg/kg) in 99.7% of all students. The 95% CIs showed that 99-100% of all tested students fell within the WHO-accepted dose range, while 91-93% of all tested students fell within the WHO-recommended dose range. The results suggest that the WHO dose pole is valid for mass treatment of Filipino schoolchildren with praziquantel. Further validation studies are recommended.