The Effect of Dosing Regimens on the Antimalarial Efficacy of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine: A Pooled Analysis of Individual Patient Data: A Pooled Analysis of Individual Patient Data

Jane Achan, Ishag Adam, Emmanuel Arinaitwe, Elizabeth A. Ashley, Ghulam Rahim Awab, Mamadou S. Ba, Karen I. Barnes, Quique Bassat, Steffen Borrmann, Teun Bousema, Prabin Dahal, Umberto D'Alessandro, Timothy M.E. Davis, Arjen M. Dondorp, Grant Dorsey, Chris J. Drakeley, Caterina I. Fanello, Babacar Faye, Jennifer A. Flegg, Oumar GayePeter W. Gething, Raquel González, Philippe J. Guerin, Simon I. Hay, Tran T. Hien, Bart Janssens, Moses R. Kamya, Corine Karema, Harin A. Karunajeewa, Moussa Koné, Bertrand Lell, Kevin Marsh, Mayfong Mayxay, Clara Menéndez, Petra F. Mens, Martin Meremikwu, Clarissa Moreira, Ivo Mueller, Carolyn Nabasumba, Michael Nambozi, Jean Louis Ndiaye, Paul N. Newton, Thuy Nhien Nguyen, Francois Nosten, Christian Nsanzabana, Sabah A. Omar, Jean Bosco Ouédraogo, Louis K. Penali, Mbaye Pene, Aung Pyae Phyo, Patrice Piola, Ric N. Price, P. Sasithon, Philip J. Rosenthal, Albert Same-Ekobo, Patrick Sawa, Henk D.F.H. Schallig, Seif A. Shekalaghe, Carol Hopkins Sibley, Jeff Smith, Frank Smithuis, Anyirékun Fabrice Somé, Kasia Stepniewska, Ambrose O. Talisuna, Joel Tarning, Emiliana Tjitra, Roger C.K. Tine, Halidou Tinto, Neena Valecha, Michel Van Herp, Michele Van Vugt, Nicholas J. White, Charles J. Woodrow, William Yavo, Adoke Yeka, Issaka Zongo

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Abstract

Background:Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) is increasingly recommended for antimalarial treatment in many endemic countries; however, concerns have been raised over its potential under dosing in young children. We investigated the influence of different dosing schedules on DP's clinical efficacy.Methods and Findings:A systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify all studies published between 1960 and February 2013, in which patients were enrolled and treated with DP. Principal investigators were approached and invited to share individual patient data with the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN). Data were pooled using a standardised methodology. Univariable and multivariable risk factors for parasite recrudescence were identified using a Cox's regression model with shared frailty across the study sites. Twenty-four published and two unpublished studies (n = 7,072 patients) were included in the analysis. After correcting for reinfection by parasite genotyping, Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were 97.7% (95% CI 97.3%-98.1%) at day 42 and 97.2% (95% CI 96.7%-97.7%) at day 63. Overall 28.6% (979/3,429) of children aged 1 to 5 years received a total dose of piperaquine below 48 mg/kg (the lower limit recommended by WHO); this risk was 2.3-2.9-fold greater compared to that in the other age groups and was associated with reduced efficacy at day 63 (94.4% [95% CI 92.6%-96.2%], p<0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the mg/kg dose of piperaquine was found to be a significant predictor for recrudescence, the risk increasing by 13% (95% CI 5.0%-21%) for every 5 mg/kg decrease in dose; p = 0.002. In a multivariable model increasing the target minimum total dose of piperaquine in children aged 1 to 5 years old from 48 mg/kg to 59 mg/kg would halve the risk of treatment failure and cure at least 95% of patients; such an increment was not associated with gastrointestinal toxicity in the ten studies in which this could be assessed.Conclusions:DP demonstrates excellent efficacy in a wide range of transmission settings; however, treatment failure is associated with a lower dose of piperaquine, particularly in young children, suggesting potential for further dose optimisation.Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere1001564
Pages (from-to)1-17
Number of pages17
JournalPLoS medicine
Volume10
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2013

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