Efficacy of six doses of artemether-lumefantrine (benflumetol) in multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Vugt MV, Wilairatana P, Gemperli B, Gathmann I, Phaipun L, Brockman A, Luxemburger C, White NJ, Nosten F, Looareesuwan S.
Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand.
The new oral fixed combination artemether-lumefantrine (CGP 56697) has proved to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment of multi-drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria, although cure rates using the four-dose regimen have been lower than with the currently recommended alternative of artesunate-mefloquine. Two six-dose schedules (total adult dose = 480 mg of artemether and 2,880 mg of lumefantrine) were therefore compared with the previously used four-dose regimen (320 mg of artemether and 1,920 mg of lumefantrine) in a double-blind trial involving 359 patients with uncomplicated multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria. There were no differences between the three treatment groups in parasite and fever clearance times, and reported adverse effects. The two six-dose regimens gave adjusted 28-day cure rates of 96.9% and 99.12%, respectively, compared with 83.3% for the four-dose regimen (P < 0.001). These six-dose regimens of artemether-lumefantrine provide a highly effective and very well-tolerated treatment for multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria.
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PMID: 10403324 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]