Treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria with artemether-lumefantrine in nonimmune populations: a safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic study

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2008 Feb;78(2):241-7.

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of artemether-lumefantrine for the treatment of malaria in nonimmune populations are not well defined. In this study, 165 nonimmune patients from Europe and non-malarious areas of Colombia with acute, uncomplicated falciparum malaria or mixed infection including P. falciparum were treated with the six-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine. The parasitologic cure rate at 28 days was 96.0% for the per protocol population (119/124 patients). Median times to parasite clearance and fever clearance were 41.5 and 36.8 hours, respectively. No patient had gametocytes after Day 7. Treatment was well tolerated; most adverse events were mild to moderate and seemed to be related to malaria. There were few serious adverse events, none of which were considered to be drug-related. No significant effects on ECG or laboratory parameters were observed. In conclusion, the six-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in nonimmune patients.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / adverse effects
  • Antimalarials / pharmacokinetics*
  • Antimalarials / standards
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use*
  • Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination
  • Artemisinins / adverse effects
  • Artemisinins / pharmacokinetics*
  • Artemisinins / standards
  • Artemisinins / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Combinations
  • Ethanolamines / adverse effects
  • Ethanolamines / pharmacokinetics*
  • Ethanolamines / standards
  • Ethanolamines / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Fluorenes / adverse effects
  • Fluorenes / pharmacokinetics*
  • Fluorenes / standards
  • Fluorenes / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parasitemia / drug therapy
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects
  • Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification
  • Time Factors
  • Travel
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination
  • Artemisinins
  • Drug Combinations
  • Ethanolamines
  • Fluorenes