title: [Systematic review of benefits and harms of artemisinin-type compounds for preventing schistosomiasis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the benefits and harms of artemisinin-type compounds for preventing schistosomiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quality of included randomised controlled trials with the people at risk of contacting schistosomiasis were evaluated and Meta-analysis was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found ten randomised controlled trials relating to our question. Of them, four trials were multi-centre studies, others were single centre studies. Numbers of participants in the trials ranged from 318 to 5,098, total 12,829. The total OR of 0.11 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.21) indicated that those who were administrated artemisinin-type compounds were significantly less infected with Schistosoma japonica than those who were administrated placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Artemisinin-type compounds are effective drug for preventing Schistosomiasis japonica infection. Fifteen days interval schemes of artesunate and artemether be considered preferable to seven days interval scheme and were associated with very few side effects. More high quality controlled trials are required for assessing which scheme is the better. These studies should be large.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Huaxi Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Tai-xiang
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Guan-jian
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Jia-fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Li-kun
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Xiao-yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jie-qi
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; D012556:Schistosomicides; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000077332:Artesunate; C031327:artemisinin; D000077549:Artemether