Cost-effectiveness of artesunate for the treatment of severe malaria.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the cost-effectiveness of artesunate against quinine based principally on the findings of a large multi-centre trial carried out in Southeast Asia.


METHODS
Trial data were used to compare mortality of patients with severe malaria, treated with either artesunate or quinine. This was combined with retrospectively collected cost data to estimate the incremental cost per death averted with the use of artesunate instead of quinine.


RESULTS
The incremental cost per death averted using artesunate was approximately 140 USD. Artesunate maintained this high level of cost-effectiveness also when allowing for the uncertainty surrounding the cost and effectiveness assessments.


CONCLUSIONS
This analysis confirms the vast superiority of artesunate for treatment of severe malaria from an economic as well as a clinical perspective.
Lubell
Y
Y
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. yoel.lubell@lshtm.ac.uk
Yeung
S
S
Dondorp
A M
AM
Day
N P
NP
Nosten
F
F
Tjitra
E
E
Abul Faiz
Md
M
Yunus
E Bin
EB
Anstey
N M
NM
Mishra
S K
SK
Mohanty
S
S
White
N J
NJ
Mills
A J
AJ
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality; D011803:Quinine / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D011803:Quinine