Publication: Single day mefloquine-artesunate combination in the treatment of multi-drug resistant falciparum malaria
Issued Date
1994-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
18783503
00359203
00359203
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-0028182993
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.88, No.2 (1994), 213-217
Suggested Citation
C. Luxemburger, F. O. Ter Kuile, F. Nosten, G. Dolan, J. H. Bradol, L. Phaipun, T. Chong-Suphajaisiddhi, N. J. White Single day mefloquine-artesunate combination in the treatment of multi-drug resistant falciparum malaria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.88, No.2 (1994), 213-217. doi:10.1016/0035-9203(94)90303-4 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/9601
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Title
Single day mefloquine-artesunate combination in the treatment of multi-drug resistant falciparum malaria
Abstract
The therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of a combination of low dose mefloquine (15 mg/kg) plus artesunate 10 mg/kg in one day (MA) was compared with the currently used regimen of high dose mefloquine (25 mg/kg) (MQ) in 552 patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria in an area of multi-drug resistance on the Thai-Burmese border. MA gave faster clinical and parasitological responses and prevented early treatment failure; 15 patients in the MQ group (6%)were early failures ( < 9 d) compared with none receiving MA (P = 0.0001). Overall failure rates by day 28 were 19% in the MA group and 24% in with MQ group (relative risk (RR) = 0.78, 95% confidence interval(CI) 0.54−1.12). In the subgroup of patients who required re-treatment, MA proved significantly more effectivethan MQ; failure rates were 25% and 52% respectively (RR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.29−0.83). Treatment failures were associated with mefloquine treatment in the previous month (RR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.09−2.70) and diarrhoea (RR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.05−2.28). Gastrointestinal side-effects and dizziness were more likely in the MQ group. There was no evident adverse effect as sociated with artesunate. A single day's treatment with artesunate augments the antimalarial efficacy of mefloquine. © 1994 Oxford University Press.