High therapeutic efficacy of artemether–lumefantrine and dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Somalia

Table 2 Treatment outcome in patients with uncomplicated falciparum infection treated with dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine (DHA/PPQ) or artemether–lumefantrine (AL) in Bosaso and Jowhar sites, Somalia

Treatment responses	DHA-PP		AL
Treatment responses	Bosaso (N = 92)	Jowhar (N = 108)	Bosaso (N = 88)	Jowhar (N = 51)
Parasitaemia on day 3	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
PCR-uncorrected
ETF, n (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
LCF, n (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
LPF, n (%)	2 (2.5)	3 (2.8)	0 (0)	0 (0)
ACPR, n (%)	78 (97.5)	103 (97.2)	84 (100)	51 (100)
Total per protocol	80	106	84	51
Lost/withdrawn, n (%)	12 (13.0)	2 (1.9)	4 (4.5)	0 (0)
Kaplan–Meier: cure rate	78 (97.5)	103 (97.2)	84 (100)	51 (100)
PCR-corrected
ETF, n (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
LCF, n (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
LPF, n (%)	NA*	1 (1.0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
ACPR, n (%)	NA*	103 (99.0)	84 (100)	51 (100)
Total per protocol	NA*	104	84	51
Lost/withdrawals/re-infection: n (%)	NA*	4 (3.7)	4 (4.5)	0 (0)
Kaplan–Meier: cure rate	NA*	103 (99.1)	84 (100)	51 (100)

*PCR analysis to differentiate between recrudescence and new infection was not done for the two patients in the DHA/PPQ group in Bosaso because suitable samples were not available at the time of recurrence
ETF, early treatment failure; LCF, late clinical failure; LPF, late parasitological failure; ACPR, adequate clinical and parasitological response

ISSN: 1475-2875