Monograph


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The cure rate - the proportion of patients cured - measures the capability of a drug to destroy all malarial parasites acquired during a given infection.

Cure rate is usually defined as the 28-day cure rate - i.e. the proportion of patients with clearance of parasites within 7 days, and without subsequent return of the original infection during the 28-day period following the first dose.

Note that in areas of high malarial transmission, new infections often occur during the 28-day period and may be confused with recrudescence (where parasites survive in red blood cells or other tissues after a brief disappearance or inability to detect them - e.g. after failed or incomplete drug treatment - and cause the reappearance of the disease). In these areas, cure rates may be assessed at 7 and 14 days.

The results from a variety of studies demonstrate that coartemether can produce high 28-day cure rates provided an appropriate dose regimen is used. In particular, the 6-dose (24-tablet) regimen given over 60 hours should be used in known areas of multi-drug resistance such as Thailand, and in non-immune travellers.

Since multi-drug resistance and the rate of reinfection are linked depending on geographic location, cure-rate results are presented according to area.