Guest editorial: Artemisinin-based combination therapy for malaria, but which one?

From:: Department for International Development
Published: 1 January 2010

Document Type:: Journal Article
Theme:: Health
Authors:: Garner, P., Olliaro, P., Sinclair, D.

Abstract

This guest editorial was written by the authors of the Cochrane Review of 'Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies for Uncomplicated Malaria'. The Review evaluated the four artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) recommended by WHO (artesunate plus mefloquine (AS+MQ); artemether-lumefantrine (AL6); artesunate plus amodiaquine (AS+AQ); and artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (AS+SP)) head to head, plus the most promising new artemisinin-based combination, dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-P). It incorporated two innovative approaches never before used in assessing the effectiveness of malaria treatment, both of which emphasised the dual importance of relative and absolute effects. The editorial comments on how Cochrane malaria reviews should be interpreted in forming policy.

Citation

Sinclair, D.; Olliaro, P.; Garner , P. Guest editorial: Artemisinin-based combination therapy for malaria, but which one? Clinical evidence (2010) : 4 pp.