SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA WITH A SIX-DOSE REGIMEN OF ARTEMETHER-LUMEFANTRINE VERSUS QUININE-DOXYCYCLINE IN THE WESTERN AMAZON REGION OF BRAZIL

MARIA G. ALECRIM Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; University of São Paulo Tropical Medicine Advanced Center, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

Search for other papers by MARIA G. ALECRIM in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
MARCUS V. LACERDA Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; University of São Paulo Tropical Medicine Advanced Center, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

Search for other papers by MARCUS V. LACERDA in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
MARIA P. MOURÃO Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; University of São Paulo Tropical Medicine Advanced Center, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

Search for other papers by MARIA P. MOURÃO in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
WILSON D. ALECRIM Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; University of São Paulo Tropical Medicine Advanced Center, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

Search for other papers by WILSON D. ALECRIM in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
ALEXANDRE PADILHA Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; University of São Paulo Tropical Medicine Advanced Center, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

Search for other papers by ALEXANDRE PADILHA in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
BERNARDO S. CARDOSO Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; University of São Paulo Tropical Medicine Advanced Center, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

Search for other papers by BERNARDO S. CARDOSO in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
MARCOS BOULOS Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; University of São Paulo Tropical Medicine Advanced Center, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

Search for other papers by MARCOS BOULOS in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access

This randomized, open-label study compared a three-day, six-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine with a five-day, 19-dose regimen of quinine-doxycycline for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the western Amazon region of Brazil. All patients remained hospitalized during their treatment and the study assessments were scheduled daily from the start of treatment (day 0) through day 6. By day 3, the percentage of infected patients was 0% in the artemether-lumefantrine group and 48.8% in the quinine-doxycycline group. Median parasite clearance time was significantly shorter in the artemether-lumefantrine group (two days) compared with the quinine-doxycycline group (three days) (P < 0.0001). Two patients in the quinine-doxycycline group left the study early because of treatment ineffectiveness or adverse event. Adverse events were reported by 91.5% of the study participants, most of which were mild in severity and/or not considered related to study treatment. Artemether-lumefantrine was shown to be an efficacious, safe, and convenient treatment for P. falciparum malaria in a highly drug-resistant region of South America.

Author Notes

Reprint requests: Marcus V. Lacerda, Laboratory of Malaria, Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Av. Pedro Teixeira, 25, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, 69.040-000, E-mail: marcuslacerda@uol.com.br.
  • 1

    Cortese JF, Caraballo A, Contreras CE, Plowe CV, 2002. Origin and dissemination of Plasmodium falciparum drug-resistance mutations in South America. J Infect Dis 186 :999–1006.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 2

    PAHO, 2003. Report on the Status of Malaria Programs in the Americas (Based on 2002 Data). Available from http://www.who.int/malaria/cmc_upload/0/000/016/856/cd44_inf3-e.pdf. Accessed March 21, 2005.

  • 3

    USAID, 2002. Drug-Resistant Malaria: Amazon Malaria Initiative. Available from http://www.usaid.gov/pop_health/id/malaria/techareas/amazon_resistant.html. Accessed July 17, 2003.

  • 4

    Petralanda I, 1995. Quality of antimalarial drugs and resistance to Plasmodium vivax in Amazonian region. Lancet 345 :1433.

  • 5

    WHO/TDR, 2003. Roll Back Malaria Update: Rolling Back in the Americas. Available from http://www.who.int/tdr/publications/tdrnews/news61/rbm.htm. Accessed July 17, 2003.

  • 6

    Marquino W, MacArthur JR, Barat LM, Oblitas FE, Arrunategui M, Garavito G, Chafloque ML, Pardave B, Gutierrez S, Arrospide N, Carrillo C, Cabezas C, Ruebush TK 2nd, 2003. Efficacy of chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, and mefloquine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the north coast of Peru. Am J Trop Med Hyg 68 :120–123.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 7

    Duarte EC, Fontes CJ, Gyorkos TW, Abrahamowicz M, 1996. Randomized controlled trial of artesunate plus tetracycline versus standard treatment (quinine plus tetracycline) for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Brazil. Am J Trop Med Hyg 54 :197–202.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 8

    Leal O, Leal EA, Borges Junior FR, Paez ML, Teodosio S, Tavares-Neto J, 2003. Clinical-parasitological response to treatment with quinine associated to doxycycline in uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 36 :751–754.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 9

    von Seidlein L, Bojang K, Jones P, Jaffar S, Pinder M, Obaro S, Doherty T, Haywood M, Snounou G, Gemperli B, Gathmann I, Royce C, McAdam K, Greenwood B, 1998. A randomized controlled trial of artemether/benflumetol, a new antimalarial and pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in African children. Am J Trop Med Hyg 58 :638–644.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10

    van Agtmael M, Bouchaud O, Malvy D, Delmont J, Danis M, Barette S, Gras C, Bernard J, Touze JE, Gathmann I, Mull R, 1999. The comparative efficacy and tolerability of CGP 56697 (artemether + lumefantrine) versus halofantrine in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in travellers returning from the tropics to The Netherlands and France. Int J Antimicrob Agents 12 :159–169.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 11

    Vugt MV, Wilairatana P, Gemperli B, Gathmann I, Phaipun L, Brockman A, Luxemburger C, White NJ, Nosten F, Looareesuwan S, 1999. Efficacy of six doses of artemether-lumefantrine (benflumetol) in multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Am J Trop Med Hyg 60 :936–942.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 12

    Lefevre G, Looareesuwan S, Treeprasertsuk S, Krudsood S, Sila-chamroon U, Gathmann I, Mull R, Bakshi R, 2001. A clinical and pharmacokinetic trial of six doses of artemether-lumefantrine for multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Thailand. Am J Trop Med Hyg 64 :247–256.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 13

    White NJ, van Vugt M, Ezzet F, 1999. Clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and pharmacodynamics of artemether-lumefantrine. Clin Pharmacokinet 37 :105–125.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 14

    Olliaro P, 2001. Mode of action and mechanisms of resistance for antimalarial drugs. Pharmacol Ther 89 :207–219.

  • 15

    Hien TT, VinhChau NV, Vinh NN, Hung NT, Phung MQ, Toan LM, Mai PP, Dung NT, HoaiTam DT, Arnold K, 1997. Management of multiple drug-resistant malaria in Viet Nam. Ann Acad Med Singapore 26: 659–663.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 16

    van Vugt M, Brockman A, Gemperli B, Luxemburger C, Gathmann I, Royce C, Slight T, Looareesuwan S, White NJ, Nosten F, 1998. Randomized comparison of artemether-benflumetol and artesunate-mefloquine in treatment of multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 42 :135–139.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 17

    van Vugt M, Ezzet F, Nosten F, Gathmann I, Wilairatana P, Looareesuwan S, White NJ, 1999. No evidence of cardiotoxicity during antimalarial treatment with artemether-lumefantrine. Am J Trop Med Hyg 61 :964–967.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 18

    Hatz C, Abdulla S, Mull R, Schellenberg D, Gathmann I, Kibatala P, Beck HP, Tanner M, Royce C, 1998. Efficacy and safety of CGP 56697 (artemether and benflumetol) compared with chloroquine to treat acute falciparum malaria in Tanzanian children aged 1–5 years. Trop Med Int Health 3 :498–504.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 19

    Bakshi R, Hermeling-Fritz I, Gathmann I, Alteri E, 2000. An integrated assessment of the clinical safety of artemether-lumefantrine: a new oral fixed-dose combination antimalarial drug. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 94 :419–424.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 20

    Nosten F, ter Kuile FO, Luxemburger C, Woodrow C, Kyle DE, Chongsuphajaisiddhi T, White NJ, 1993. Cardiac effects of antimalarial treatment with halofantrine. Lancet 341 :1054–1056.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 21

    Bindschedler M, Lefevre G, Ezzet F, Schaeffer N, Meyer I, Thomsen MS, 2000. Cardiac effects of co-artemether (artemether/lumefantrine) and mefloquine given alone or in combination to healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 56 :375–381.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 22

    Guerin PJ, Olliaro P, Nosten F, Druilhe P, Laxminarayan R, Binka F, Kilama WL, Ford N, White NJ, 2002. Malaria: current status of control, diagnosis, treatment, and a proposed agenda for research and development. Lancet Infect Dis 2 :564–573.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 23

    Price RN, Nosten F, Luxemburger C, ter Kuile FO, Paiphun L, Chongsuphajaisiddhi T, White NJ, 1996. Effects of artemisinin derivatives on malaria transmissibility. Lancet 347 :1654–1658.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 24

    Looareesuwan S, Wilairatana P, Chokejindachai W, Chalermrut K, Wernsdorfer W, Gemperli B, Gathmann I, Royce C, 1999. A randomized, double-blind, comparative trial of a new oral combination of artemether and benflumetol (CGP 56697) with mefloquine in the treatment of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Thailand. Am J Trop Med Hyg 60 :238–243.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 35 35 25
Full Text Views 264 90 0
PDF Downloads 67 25 0
 
Membership Banner
 
 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save