Clinical efficacy of chloroquine versus artemether-lumefantrine for Plasmodium vivax treatment in Thailand.
Chloroquine remains the drug of choice for the treatment of vivax malaria in Thailand. Mixed infections of falciparum and vivax malaria are also common in South-East Asia. Laboratory confirmation of malaria species is not generally available. This study aimed to find alternative regimens for treating both malaria species by using falciparum antimalarial drugs. From June 2004 to May 2005, 98 patients with Plasmodium vivax were randomly treated with either artemether-lumefantrine (n = 47) or chloroquine (n = 51). Both treatments were followed by 15 mg of primaquine over 14 days. Adverse events and clinical and parasitological outcomes were recorded and revealed similar in both groups. The cure rate was 97.4% for the artemether-lumefantrine treated group and 100% for the chloroquine treated group. We concluded that the combination of artemether-lumefantrine and primaquine was well tolerated, as effective as chloroquine and primaquine, and can be an alternative regimen for treatment of vivax malaria especially in the event that a mixed infection of falciparum and vivax malaria could not be ruled out.
Krudsood
Srivicha
S
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand. tmsks@mahidol.ac.th
Tangpukdee
Noppadon
N
Muangnoicharoen
Sant
S
Thanachartwet
Vipa
V
Luplertlop
Nutthanej
N
Srivilairit
Siripan
S
Wilairatana
Polrat
P
Kano
Shigeyuki
S
Ringwald
Pascal
P
Looareesuwan
Sornchai
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000078102:Lumefantrine; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000187:drug effects; D011319:Primaquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013785:Thailand; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005449:Fluorenes; D002738:Chloroquine; D000077549:Artemether; D000078102:Lumefantrine; D011319:Primaquine