Artesunate/mefloquine paediatric formulation vs. artemether/lumefantrine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum in Anonkoua kouté, Côte d'Ivoire.

Offianan A Toure (1) , Menan G Kouame (1) , Yapi J Didier (1) , Ako a A Berenger (1) , Khali Djerea (2) , Gomez O Genevieve (2) , Louis K Penali (1)

1 Institut Pasteur de Côte d'Ivoire
2 Anonkoua-koute Health Centre

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that Artesunate-mefloquine paediatric (AS+MEF) is as effective as Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in treating acute uncomplicated malaria in children. METHODS: In an open label, randomized controlled clinical trial, children aged 6-59 months were randomized to receive AS+MEF or AL. Both drug regimens were given for 3 days, and follow-up was for 28 days. The primary endpoint was the 28-day cure rate and was defined as proportion of patients with PCR-corrected cure rate after 28 days of follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-six patients with confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria were randomly assigned to receive AS+MEF (n = 77) or AL (n = 79). PCR-corrected day 28 cure rates for per protocol (PP) populations were 99% for AS+MEF and 97% (P = 1) for AL. For the intention to treat (ITT) population, cure rates were 96% for AS+MEF and 92% (P = 0.49) for AL. Both regimens were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: AS+MEF is as effective as AL, and both combinations were efficacious and safe.

Mots clés: falciparum malaria Artesunate-mefloquine; Artemether-lumefanthrine; children; uncomplicated malaria

Domaines: Parasitologie

Offianan A Toure, Menan G Kouame, Yapi J Didier, Ako a A Berenger, Khali Djerea, et al.. Artesunate/mefloquine paediatric formulation vs. artemether/lumefantrine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum in Anonkoua kouté, Côte d'Ivoire.. Tropical Medicine and International Health, 2011, 16 (3), pp.290-7. ⟨10.1111/j.1365-3156.2010.02701.x⟩. ⟨pasteur-00766928⟩