Document Type
Article
Department
Pathology (East Africa)
Abstract
Randomized trials have confirmed the efficacy and safety of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Data from seven studies supported by Novartis (1996-2007), including 647 adults (> 16 years of age, 83.3% completed the study) and 1,332 children (≤ 16 years of age, 89.3% completed the study) with microscopically confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria and treated with the recommended regimen of AL, were pooled. The 28-day polymerase chain reaction-corrected parasitologic cure rate (primary efficacy endpoint) was 97.1% (495 of 510) in adults and 97.3% (792 of 814) in children (evaluable population). Gametocytemia prevalence after day was 4.2% (23 of 554) in adults and 0.9% (8 of 846) in children. No noteworthy safety signals were observed. Serious adverse events occurred in 1.4% of the adults and 1.3% of the children. This study is the largest data set to date assessing AL therapy for treatment of acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. Artemether-lumefantrine showed high cure rates and rapid resolution of parasitemia, fever, and gametocytemia in adults and children, and showed an excellent safety and tolerability profile. Copyright © 2011 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Publication (Name of Journal)
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Recommended Citation
Makanga, M.,
Bassat, Q.,
Falade, C.,
Premji, Z.,
Krudsood, S.,
Hunt, P.,
Walter, V.,
Beck, H.,
Marrast, A.,
Cousin, M.,
Rosenthal, P.
(2011). Efficacy and safety of artemether-lumefantrine in the treatment of acute, uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria: A pooled analysis. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 85(5), 793-804.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_pathol/108
Comments
This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.