Sixty-three patients with severe falciparum malaria were randomly administered one of the two regimens of a sequential combination of artesunate suppository followed by an oral mefloquine tablet. Thirty-two patients received artesunate suppositories (200 mg/capsule) given rectally at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 hr (total = 1,600 mg: Group I). Thirty-one patients received the same artesunate suppositories given rectally at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 hr (total = 1,200 mg: Group II).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe compared the safety and efficacy of two treatment regimens using sodium artesunate in 91 randomized patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria acquired in Thailand. One group of 45 patients received 400 mg of artesunate on the first day of treatment and then 200 mg daily for 4 days for a total of 1200 mg (group I: 5-day treatment). A second group of 46 patients received 400 mg of artesunate on the first day of treatment and then 200 mg daily for 6 days for a total of 1600 mg (group II: 7-day treatment).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe difficulties in treating drug-resistant falciparum malaria in Thailand are compounded by the necessity of giving antimalarials over long periods of time. The resultant decrease in patient compliance not only lowers cure rates but also predisposes to the further spread of drug resistance. We compared the efficacy of two sequential treatment regimens given over two and three days in 111 patients with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThirty patients with severe falciparum malaria were each given a total of 1600-mg artesunate suppository over three consecutive days followed by 1250 mg mefloquine per os, divided into two doses which were given 12 h apart. All patients were admitted for 28 days to the Bangkok Hospital for Tropical Diseases, so that the efficacy and tolerability of the treatment could be assessed. All the patients showed clinical improvement, with mean (S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMefloquine is the main antimalarial used for treatment of falciparum malaria patients at the malaria clinics in Thailand. However, the cure rate with mefloquine alone has declined seriously in recent years. The efficacy and tolerability of a sequential treatment of artesunate followed by mefloquine was therefore compared with those of mefloquine alone, in a randomized therapeutic trial involving 125 patients with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
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