Table 2 Baseline characteristics of patients at enrolment in the two groups

Age (mean ± SD, years)

25 ± 11

23.2 ± 10,5

0.15

Weight (mean ± SD, Kg)

62.1 ± 11.8

58.2 ± 11.5

0.08

Sex ratio (male/female)

1.2

0.6

0.03

Temperature (mean ± SD)

37.8 ± 1.2

37.7 ± 1.1

0.41

Median Parasitemia (trophozoites/μL)

17411

17688

0.88

Mean haemoglobin (g/dl)

12.2 ± 1.7

11.7 ± 1.7

0.99

Anaemia (Hb < 11 g/dl,%)

36.3

40.5

0.44

ASAT (UI/L, mean ± SD)

31.2 ± 18.7

33.1 ± 16.8

0.38

Patients with normal level of ASAT (ASAT < 40 UI/L) (%)

128 (81.5%)

123 (80.4%)

0.79

ALAT (UI/L, mean ± SD)

28.2 ± 20.3

26.3 ± 24.1

0.47

Patients with normal level of ALAT (ALAT < 40 UI/L) (%)

119 (82.1%)

138 (90.2%)

0.04

Creatinine (mean ± SD)

7.6 ± 5.4

8.2 ± 3.5

0.24

Patients with normal level of creatinine (<13 mg/L) (%)

148 (94.3%)

143 (93.5%)

0.76

Median Bilirubunemia (mg/L)

1.91

1.71

0.51

Patients with normal level of Biliribunemia (<10 mg/L) (%)

48 (30.6%)

55 (35.9%)

0.31