Adherence to treatment with artemether–lumefantrine or amodiaquine–artesunate for uncomplicated malaria in children in Sierra Leone: a randomized trial

Table 3 Quality of treatment with ACT

Per-Protocol	Site 1					Site 2
Treatment adherence^a	AL (N = 176)	AQAS (N = 176)	Difference in means	95% CI	p-value	AL (N = 173)	AQAS (N = 181)	Difference in means	95% CI	p-value
Mean % of treatment (SD)^b	99.8% (2.5)	98.6% (7.9)	1.17	− 0.09, 2.42	0.068	97.0% (12.8)	99.2% (6.3)	− 2.19	− 4.37, 0.00	0.050

Correct treatment^c	AL (N = 179)	AQAS (N = 174)	Odds Ratio	95% CI	p-value	AL (N = 178)	AQAS (N = 176)	Odds ratio	95% CI	p-value
Correct dose^d	163 (93.1%)	144 (83.7%)	2.64	1.30, 5.39	0.008	128 (77.6%)	149 (88.7%)	0.44	0.24, 0.81	0.008
Correct timing^e	163 (93.1%)	166 (96.5%)	0.49	0.18, 1.34	0.165	136 (82.4%)	163 (97.0%)	0.14	0.05, 0.38	< 0.001
Correct duration^f	172 (98.3%)	170 (98.8%)	0.67	0.11, 4.09	0.668	156 (95.6%)	164 (97.6%)	0.42	0.13, 1.40	0.159
Correct treatment^g	154 (88.0%)	140 (81.4%)	1.68	0.92, 3.04	0.089	125 (75.8%)	148 (88.1%)	0.42	0.23, 0.76	0.004

Intention-to-treat	Site 1					Site 2
Treatment adherence^a	AL (N = 175)	AQAS (N = 172)	Difference in means	95% CI	p-value	AL (N = 165)	AQAS (N = 168)	Difference in means	95% CI	p-value
Mean % of treatment (SD)^b	99.8% (2.5)	98.7% (7.9)	1.14	− 0.09, 2.36	0.069	97.0% (12.7)	99.1% (6.0)	− 2.30	− 4.40, − 0.19	0.032

Correct treatment^c	AL (N = 175)	AQAS (N = 172)	Odds Ratio	95% CI	p-value	AL (N = 165)	AQAS (N = 168)	Odds Ratio	95% CI	p-value
Correct dose^d	166 (92.7%)	146 (83.9%)	2.45	1.22, 4.90	0.011	138 (77.5%)	155 (88.1%)	0.47	0.26, 0.83	0.010
Correct timing^e	166 (92.7%)	168 (96.6%)	0.45	0.17, 1.23	0.120	149 (83.7%)	170 (96.6%)	0.18	0.07, 0.45	< 0.001
Correct duration^f	179 (97.8%)	174 (98.9%)	0.51	0.09, 2.81	0.439	169 (94.9%)	171 (97.2%)	0.55	0.18, 1.67	0.291
Correct treatment^g	156 (87.2%)	142 (81.6%)	1.53	0.85, 2.74	0.153	135 (75.8%)	154 (87.5%)	0.45	0.26, 0.79	0.005

^aProportion of all tablets received − information on the number of tablets taken is missing from one participant in the AL group at Site 1 (n = 174). Measure of Effect = Difference of means; AQAS is the reference group
^bPercent of treatment = total number of tablets taken by the patient/total number of tablets prescribed
^cOdds Ratios were calculated using logistic regression, with ORs calculated using AQAS as the reference group
^dDose is defined as the number of tablets prescribed by weight or age. For AQAS: 1 tablet per day for three days. For AL: 5 to < 15 kg = 1 tablet twice a day for 3 days, 15 to < 25 kg = 2 tablets twice a day for three days
^eTiming is defined as the number of times per day the treatment should be taken. For AQAS: once daily. For AL: two times per day
^fDuration is defined as the number of days the treatment should be taken. For both AQAS and AL: 3 days
^gCorrect treatment = correct dose + correct timing + correct duration, in which the criteria for all three factors (as above) are met

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