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CompletedNCT01115439ASPFUpdated Jul 12, 2012

Artesunate+Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Falciparum Malaria

An observational study in Falciparum Malaria, sponsored by University of Oxford. Completed at 4 sites in Afghanistan. Open to participants aged 6 Months and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2012-07-12.

Sponsored by University of Oxford · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-only
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
100
Ages
6 Months and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In Afghanistan, studies over the past 15 years have shown a high degree of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine (80%) and more recently an increasing degree of resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine monotherapy (12%). In 2003 the high failure rate of chloroquine against falciparum malaria led the national malaria treatment programme to switch its recommended first line drug treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in the form of Artesunate/Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (AS+SP). Second line drug treatment is oral quinine (7 days). The aim of this study is to conduct ongoing monitoring of the efficacy of the new combination against P. falciparum in a group of sentinel sites in Afghanistan.

Read the detailed description

The objective of the study is to assess the efficacy and safety of Artesunate/Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (AS+SP) for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum infections in Nangarhar, Kunar, Thakhar, Faryab malaria control centers in Afghanistan.

This is an observational study. Patients will receive the recommended treatment for P. falciparum malaria in Afghanistan (Nangarhar, Kunar, Thakhar, Faryab malaria control centers). The participants will be febrile children above six months of age and non-pregnant adults with confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum infection. Patients will be treated with AS+SP according to standard dosing regimens. Clinical and parasitological parameters will be monitored over a 42-day follow-up period to evaluate drug efficacy. The study will be conducted during the transmission season of falciparum malaria, i.e. October 2009 to January 2010 and September-December, 2010. Patients will be assessed clinically and via laboratory tests, particularly focussing on whether recurrences are recrudescences of the original infection or reinfections. All bio-medical findings will be recorded in specific patient case record forms and the electronic form of analyzed data as well as a final report will be sent to WHO-Afghanistan and National malaria control program offices for further actions. The patients will receive reasonable transportation costs for follow-up visits as well as one insecticide treated bed-net at the end of enrolment. The results of this study will be used to assist the Ministry of Health of Afghanistan in assessing the current national treatment guidelines for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria.

02

Conditions studied

  • Falciparum Malaria

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Keywords

  • falciparum malaria
  • artemisinin combination treatments
03

In context

Malaria, Falciparum

455 studies on the registry are indexed under Malaria, Falciparum; 37 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 100 is below the median of 561 across 63 observational studies indexed under Malaria, Falciparum.

Browse Malaria, Falciparum studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Oxford is the lead sponsor of 812 studies on the registry; 119 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
6 Months and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Febrile children (above six months of age) and non-pregnant adults with confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum infection

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age over six months.
  • Mono-infection with P. falciparum detected by microscopy at a level of 500-150,000/µL asexual forms
  • Presence of axillary or tympanic temperature ≥ 37.5 °C or oral or rectal temperature of ≥ 38 °C or history of fever during the past 24 h;
  • ability to swallow oral medication;
  • ability and willingness to comply with the study protocol for the duration of the study and to comply with the study visit schedule; and
  • from the patient or from a parent or guardian in the case of children under 18 years of age.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria:

  • Presence of general danger signs in children aged under 5 years or signs of severe falciparum malaria according to the definitions of the World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Mixed or mono-infection with another Plasmodium species detected by microscopy
  • Presence of severe malnutrition (defined as a child whose growth standard is below -3 z-score, has symmetrical oedema involving at least the feet or has a mid-upper arm circumference \< 110 mm)
  • Presence of febrile conditions due to diseases other than malaria (e.g. measles, acute lower respiratory tract infection, severe diarrhoea with dehydration) or other known underlying chronic or severe diseases (e.g. cardiac, renal and hepatic diseases, /AIDS);
  • Regular medication, which may interfere with antimalarial pharmacokinetics;
  • History of reactions or to any of the study medications;
  • Female over 12 years of age
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(4)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

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You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

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Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Observational model
Case-only
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
100 participants (actual)

Groups and cohorts

  • falciparum malaria

    Febrile children (above six months of age) and non-pregnant adults with confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum infection

    Drug: artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (AS+SP)

Interventions

  • Drugartesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (AS+SP)

    Drug page: Artesunate

    artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (AS+SP)

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Proportion of patients experiencing therapeutic failure

    Proportion of patients experiencing therapeutic failure

    Time frame: 42 days

07

Study locations

4 sites
  • Provincial Malaria Control Centers (MRC)
    Maimana, Faryab, Afghanistan
  • Provincial Malaria Control Centers (MRC)
    Asadabad, Kunar, Afghanistan
  • Provincial Malaria Control Centers (MRC)
    Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan
  • Provincial Malaria Control Centers (MRC)
    Taloqan, Afghanistan
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Awab GR, Imwong M, Pukrittayakamee S, Alim F, Hanpithakpong W, Tarning J, Dondorp AM, Day NP, White NJ, Woodrow CJ. Clinical trials of artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Afghanistan: maintained efficacy a decade after introduction. Malar J. 2016 Feb 25;15:121. doi: 10.1186/s12936-016-1167-z. PubMed 26917051 ↗
09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
Not marked actual or estimatedDates not marked actual or estimated

The record gives a start of Mar 2010, a primary completion of Apr 2011 and a completion of Jul 2011. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Mar 29, 2010
First posted
May 4, 2010
Start
Mar 2010
Primary completionActual
Apr 2011
CompletionActual
Jul 2011
Last update
Jul 12, 2012
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 12, 2012, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01115439
Collaborators
National Malaria and Leishmaniasis Control Program, Afghanistan, World Health Organization
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 4, 2010
Start date
Mar 2010
Primary completion
Apr 2011
Completion
Jul 2011
Last update
Jul 12, 2012

Study contacts

Ghulam Rahim Awab, MD
principal investigator · Mahidol Oxford Research Unit

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2012. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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