NCT01704508

Brief Summary

Plasmodium falciparum causes malaria and approximately 665 000 deaths each year. chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine resistant P. falciparum are widespread. An artemisinin derivative combined with lumefantrine, amodiaquine or piperaquine is therefore recommended for the treatment of malaria in Africa. However, artemisinin resistance appears to be developing and resistance/tolerance to amodiaquine and lumefantrine exists. We are presently conducting a study in Guinea-Bissau. Preliminary data indicates that the effectiveness and availability of artemether-lumefantrine (AL), the 1st line drug, is poor. Consequently there is a need for another treatment option. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) has been shown to be efficacious and well tolerated in several African countries and is therefore such an option. A clinical trial comparing the safety and efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is therefore needed. Parents to children seeking Bandim Health Centre (CSB) with symptoms compatible with malaria will be informed of the study. If accepting and the child fulfil the inclusion criteria, the child will be randomised to treatment with either AL or DP. The treatment will be given supervised at the health centre in the morning and the evening on day 0, day 1, and day 2. At each visit and in the morning on day 3, the child will be examined, the mother asked for any symptoms and signs of side-effects, the temperature measured. Furthermore, a blood sample will be taken for examination of malaria parasites. On day 0 samples for measurement of antimalarial drugs and for genotyping of the parasites will be taken on filterpaper. In a subgroup of 50 children a blood sample for in vitro culturing and for analysis of the number of leucocytes will also be taken. After having finished the treatment the children will be followed on day 7 and then once a week until day 42. At each visit the condition of the child will be examined and a bloodsample taken for examination of parasites in the blood. Furthermore, a filterpaper bloodsample will be collected for measurement of the drug concentration of if the child has recrudescence for genotyping of the parasites. On day 0, 3 and 42 the haemoglobin level will be examined. The result of the two treatments will be evaluated by comparing the number of children with recurrent parasitaemia, both corrected and uncorrected (recrudescence vs. reinfections). This will be presented as adequate clinical and parasitological response rates PCR-corrected and PCR-uncorrected. Furthermore, the chance in haemoglobin level from day 0 till day 3 and till day 42 will be compared. The concentration of the antimalarial drug in the blood samples taken at the visit before the re-parasitaemia will be capered to the concentrations in children without re-parasitaemia. Assuming a 20% loss to follow up a total of 346 children should be included. For the children included, health care and medications at Bandim Health Centre will be free during the study period but no other gifts or payments will be made. Results will be presented to the staff at the Bandim health centre and the ministry of Health and will be published in an international peer reviewed journal.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
346

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_4

Timeline
Completed

Started Nov 2012

Longer than P75 for phase_4

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 9, 2012

Completed
2 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

October 11, 2012

Completed
21 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

November 1, 2012

Completed
2.9 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

October 1, 2015

Completed
9 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

July 1, 2016

Completed
Last Updated

May 26, 2021

Status Verified

August 1, 2015

Enrollment Period

2.9 years

First QC Date

October 9, 2012

Last Update Submit

May 25, 2021

Conditions

Keywords

Falciparum malariachildrentreatment

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Adequate clinical and parasitological response rate

    The data will be analysed using survival estimates of per protocol treatment failure rates but also intention to treat treatment failure rates.

    42 days

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • the safety of AL and DP

    42 days

Other Outcomes (3)

  • To determine the capacity of each drug combination to protect against re-infection and to differentiate recrudescence from re-infections using PCR based methods

    42 days

  • Genetic polymorphisms in P. falciparum causing reparasitaemia (by PCR) and in 50 children perform a characterisation of P. falciparum geno- and phenotypes.

    42 days

  • haemoglobin values

    days 0, 3 and 42

Study Arms (2)

Artemether-lumefantrine

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

6-dose regime will be used:

Drug: Artemether-lumefantrine

Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

A 3 dose regime will be used

Drug: Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine

Interventions

Also known as: Coartem (R)
Artemether-lumefantrine
Also known as: Eurartesim
Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine

Eligibility Criteria

Age6 Months - 12 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17)

You may qualify if:

  • A) Age ≥6 months, and \<13 years. B) Mono-infection with P. falciparum detected by microscopy. C) Parasitemia of 1.000-200.000/µl asexual forms. D) Axillary temperature ≥37.5 ˚C or a history of fever within 24 hours. E) Ability to swallow oral medication.
  • F) Ability and willingness to comply with the study protocol for the duration of the study and to comply with the study visit schedule. G) Informed consent from a parent or guardian

You may not qualify if:

  • A) Signs or symptoms of severe malaria, incl. hyperparasitaemia (\>200.000/ µl asexual forms) B) Presence of general danger signs in children under 5 C) Presence of severe malnutrition. D) Any evidence of chronic disease or acute infection other than malaria. E) Regular medication which may interfere with antimalarial pharmacokinetics. F) History of hypersensitivity reactions or contraindications to AL, DP or quinine.
  • G) Domicile outside the study area.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Bandim Health Project

Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Jovel IT, Kofoed PE, Rombo L, Rodrigues A, Ursing J. Temporal and seasonal changes of genetic polymorphisms associated with altered drug susceptibility to chloroquine, lumefantrine, and quinine in Guinea-Bissau between 2003 and 2012. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Feb;59(2):872-9. doi: 10.1128/AAC.03554-14. Epub 2014 Nov 24.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

MalariaMalaria, Falciparum

Interventions

Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Protozoan InfectionsParasitic DiseasesInfectionsMosquito-Borne DiseasesVector Borne Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

ArtemetherArtemisininsReactive Oxygen SpeciesFree RadicalsInorganic ChemicalsOrganic ChemicalsLumefantrineFluorenesPolycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsHydrocarbons, AromaticHydrocarbons, CyclicHydrocarbonsSesquiterpenesTerpenesPolycyclic CompoundsDrug CombinationsPharmaceutical Preparations

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 4
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 9, 2012

First Posted

October 11, 2012

Study Start

November 1, 2012

Primary Completion

October 1, 2015

Study Completion

July 1, 2016

Last Updated

May 26, 2021

Record last verified: 2015-08

Locations