title: Artemether-lumefantrine for the treatment of multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of the 6-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine were assessed in an open randomized trial in children and adults presenting with acute, uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Thailand between November 1997 and March 1998. 200 patients were enrolled in 2 centres: 150 received artemether-lumefantrine (i.e., a median total dose of 9.6 mg/kg [interquartile range 8.7-10.7] and 57.9 mg/kg of lumefantrine [52.4-64.0]) and 50 the standard combination of artesunate (12 mg/kg over 3 d) and mefloquine (25 mg/kg). All patients had rapid initial clinical and parasitological responses. The 28 d cure rates were high: 97.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 93.5-99.5%) for artemether-lumefantrine and 100% (95% CI 92.5-100%) for artesunate-mefloquine. The 6-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine was better tolerated than, and as effective as, artesunate-mefloquine, the current standard treatment in this area of multidrug-resistant P. falciparum malaria.
authors.affiliation: Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mae Sod, Thailand.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Vugt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Looareesuwan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilairatana
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McGready
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villegas
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gathmann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mull
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brockman
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nosten
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000078102:Lumefantrine; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005449:Fluorenes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000077332:Artesunate; D000077549:Artemether; D000078102:Lumefantrine; D015767:Mefloquine