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Efficacy And Safety Of Artemether-Lumefantrine (Coartem®) Tablets (Six-Dose Regimen) In African Infants And Children With Acute, Uncomplicated Falciparum Malaria, C. Falade, M. Makanga, Zul Premji, C.E. Ortmann, M. Stockmeyer, P. Ibarra De Palacios

Pathology, East Africa

Approximately one million children die from malaria each year. A recently approved artemisinin-based tablet, Coartem (co-artemether), comprising artemether 120 mg plus lumefantrine 20 mg, given in four doses, provides effective antimalarial treatment for children in many sub-Saharan countries. However, this regimen is considered insufficient for non-immune infants and in areas where multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum predominates. This open-label study assessed the efficacy and safety of co-artemether administered to 310 African children weighing 5-25 kg, with acute, uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Six doses of co-artemether were given over 3 days, with follow-up at 7, 14 and 28 days. Treatment rapidly cleared parasitemia and …