Therapeutic efficasy of artemether-lumefantrine

Abstract

Bangladesh faces increasing levels of chloroquine resistance, and drug sensitivity to sulfadoxinepyremethamineis already compromised. Therefore, the Ministry of Health recently changed the national treatmentguidelines to artemisinin-based combination therapies. The purpose of this study was to determine the baseline therapeuticefficacy of artemether-lumefantrine used as a six-dose regimen for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodiumfalciparum malaria. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled in the study; the cure rate in a 42-day follow-up after anadjustment by polymerase chain reaction was 94.3%. The treatment led to rapid fever (mean ± SD 25.82 ± 12.14hours) and parasite (30.36 ± 19.43 hours) clearance. These data suggest that artemether-lumefantrine is a highlyefficacious and well-tolerated treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Bangladesh.