Publication: Efficacy of artequick® versus artesunate-mefloquine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Thailand
1
Issued Date
2008-01-01
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ISSN
01251562
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-39649095189
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health. Vol.39, No.1 (2008), 1-8
Suggested Citation
Noppadon Tangpukdee, Srivicha Krudsood, Vipa Thanachartwet, Chaweewan Pengruksa, Nanthaporn Phophak, Shigeyuki Kano, Guoqiao Li, Gary M. Brittenham, Sornchai Looareesuwan, Polrat Wilairatana Efficacy of artequick® versus artesunate-mefloquine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Thailand. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health. Vol.39, No.1 (2008), 1-8. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/19834
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Title
Efficacy of artequick® versus artesunate-mefloquine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Thailand
Abstract
To determine the efficacy, safety and tolerability of an alternative short-course, artemisinin-based combination therapy for acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria, we compared Artequick®-a fixed-dosed combination of artemisinin (80 mg), piperaquine (400 mg), and primaquine (4 mg), per tablet-with a standard regimen of artesunate-mefloquine. A total of 130 patients were randomly assigned to treatment with an orally administered, once-daily, 3-day regimen of either Artequick® (Group A: 3.2 mg/kg/day of artemisinin, 16 mg/kg/day of piperaquine, and 0.16 mg/kg/day of primaquine) or artesunate-mefloquine (Group B: artesunate, 4 mg/kg/day, with mefloquine, 8 mg/kg/day). Patients receiving each regimen had a rapid clinical and parasitological response. All treatments were well tolerated, and no serious adverse effects occurred. No significant differences were found in fever- and parasite-clearance times between the two study groups. The 28-day cure rates were similarly high, at 98.5% and 100%, in groups A and B, respectively. We conclude that Artequick® was as effective and well tolerated as artesunate-mefloquine and could be used as an alternative treatment for multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Southeast Asia.