The combined use of artemether, sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
29 male patients (14 from Taunggyi, 6 from Rangoon and 9 from Tharrawaddy in Burma) were treated simultaneously with 200 mg artemether (Single intramuscular dose), 1500 mg sulfadoxine and 75 mg [corrected] pyrimethamine (orally). The mean parasite clearance time was 106.7 +/- 48.7 h. Side effects were few and self-limiting. 13 of 29 patients had recrudescences before day 28; as all the patients were living in towns, reinfection was unlikely. This parasite clearance time was longer than that in patients treated with artemether alone (600 mg total dose), and the recrudescence rate was higher. This drug combination is not recommended for patients in areas where sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine resistance is already established.
U Thet Naing
Sao San Tun Hospital, Taunggyi, Burma.
U Hla Win
Daw Yin Yin Nwe
U Pe Than Myint
U Tin Shwe
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013424:Sulfanilamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D013424:Sulfanilamides; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D000077549:Artemether; D011739:Pyrimethamine