title: Artemether-lumefantrine versus artesunate plus amodiaquine for treating uncomplicated childhood malaria in Nigeria: randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The therapeutic efficacy of artesunate plus amodiaquine and artemether/lumefantrine were assessed in an area of Nigeria with high levels of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 6 to 59 months with uncomplicated P. falciparum infection and parasite density 1,000 to 200,000 parasites/microL enrolled following informed consent by parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible children were randomly assigned to receive either a 3-day course of artesunate (4 mg/kg) plus amodiaquine (10 mg/kg) or 6-dose course of artemether/lumefantrine (20/120 mg tablets) over three days. Patients were followed up with clinical and laboratory assessments until day 14 using standard WHO in-vivo antimalarial drug test protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total 119 eligible children were enrolled but 111 completed the study. Adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was 47 (87.0%) and 47 (82.5%) for artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and artesunate+amodiaquine (AAMQ) respectively (OR 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.22 to 2.22). Early treatment failure (ETF) occurred in one participant (1.8%) treated with AAQ but in none of those with AL. Two (3.7%) patients in the AL group and none in the AAQ group had late clinical failure. Late parasitological failure was observed in 9 (15.8) and 5 (9.3%) of patients treated with AAQ and AL respectively. None of participants had a serious adverse event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Artemether-lumenfantrine and artesunate plus amodiaquine have high and comparable cure rates and tolerability among under-five children in Calabar, Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: Calabar Institute of Tropical Disease Research & Prevention, GPO Box 1211, Calabar, Nigeria. mmeremiku@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meremikwu
authors.forename: Ambrose
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alaribe
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ejemot
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oyo-Ita
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ekenjoku
authors.forename: Chukwuemeka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nwachukwu
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ordu
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ezedinachi
mesh_terms: D000655:Amodiaquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000078102:Lumefantrine; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005449:Fluorenes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000655:Amodiaquine; D000077332:Artesunate; D000077549:Artemether; D000078102:Lumefantrine