Browsing by Author "Bakyaita, Nathan"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Artemisinin Combination Therapies for Treatment of Uncomplicated Malaria in Uganda
    (PLoS clinical trials, 2006) Bukirwa, Hasifa; Yeka, Adoke; Kamya, Moses R.; Talisuna, Ambrose; Banek, Kristin; Bakyaita, Nathan; Rwakimari, John Bosco; Rosenthal, Philip J.; Mangen, Fred Wabwire; Dorsey, Grant; Staedke, Sarah G.
    To compare the efficacy and safety of artemisinin combination therapies for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Uganda.Randomized single-blind controlled trial.Tororo, Uganda, an area of high-level malaria transmission.Children aged one to ten years with confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria.Amodiaquine + artesunate or artemether–lumefantrine.Risks of recurrent symptomatic malaria and recurrent parasitemia at 28 days, unadjusted and adjusted by genotyping to distinguish recrudescences and new infections.Of 408 participants enrolled, 403 with unadjusted efficacy outcomes were included in the per-protocol analysis. Both treatment regimens were highly efficacious; no recrudescences occurred in patients treated with amodiaquine + artesunate, and only two occurred in those treated with artemether–lumefantrine. However, recurrent malaria due to new infections was common. The unadjusted risk of recurrent symptomatic malaria was significantly lower for participants treated with artemether–lumefantrine than for those treated with amodiaquine + artesunate (27% versus 42%, risk difference 15%, 95% CI 5.9%–24.2%). Similar results were seen for the risk of recurrent parasitemia (51% artemether–lumefantrine versus 66% amodiaquine + artesunate, risk difference 16%, 95% CI 6.2%–25.2%). Amodiaquine + artesunate and artemether–lumefantrine were both well-tolerated. Serious adverse events were uncommon with both regimens.Amodiaquine + artesunate and artemether–lumefantrine were both highly efficacious for treatment of uncomplicated malaria. However, in this holoendemic area, despite the excellent performance of both regimens in terms of efficacy, many patients experienced recurrent parasitemia due to new infections. Artemether–lumefantrine was superior to amodiaquine + artesunate for prevention of new infections. To maximize the benefit of artemisinin combination therapy in Africa, treatment should be integrated with strategies to prevent malaria transmission. The impact of frequent repeated therapy on the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of new artemisinin regimens should be further investigated.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Efficacy of sulphadoxine–pyrimethamine alone or combined with amodiaquine or chloroquine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Ugandan children
    (Tropical medicine & international health, 2004) Talisun, Ambrose O.; Nalunkuma-Kazibwe, Anne; Bakyaita, Nathan; Langi, Peter; Mutabingwa, Theonest K.; Watkins, William W.; Marck, Eric Van; D’Alessandro, Umberto
    The rapid development of falciparum resistance to sulphadoxine–pyrimethamine (SP) in East and Central Africa has raised concerns as to the efficacy of combining it with another drug. In 2002, we assessed the efficacy of SP alone and combined with amodiaquine (AQ/SP) or chloroquine (CQ/SP) in Ugandan children with uncomplicated falciparum malaria. At day 14, adequate clinical response was 100% (84/84) for AQ/SP, 93% (92/101) for CQ/SP and 91% (73/80) for SP. At day 28, parasitological failure (RI–RIII) occurred in 16% (13/80) of children treated with AQ/SP, in 48% (48/100) of those treated with CQ/SP and in 61% (48/79) of those treated with SP alone. Compared with the AQ/SP arm, the odds for parasitological failure at day 28 were five times higher (95% CI, 2–10) in the CQ/SP group and sevenfold higher (95% CI, 3–17) in that of SP alone. CQ/SP does not offer any significant added benefit over SP alone while AQ/SP is an efficacious low-cost combination. These findings have important policy implications for Uganda and other resource-constrained African countries faced with the problematic choice of a new first-line antimalarial treatment in a context of high CQ resistance.