Title |
Pre-referral rectal artesunate in severe malaria: flawed trial
|
---|---|
Published in |
Trials, August 2011
|
DOI | 10.1186/1745-6215-12-188 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Karim F Hirji, Zulfiqarali G Premji |
Abstract |
Immediate injectable treatment is essential for severe malaria. Otherwise, the afflicted risk lifelong impairment or death. In rural areas of Africa and Asia, appropriate care is often miles away. In 2009, Melba Gomes and her colleagues published the findings of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of rectal artesunate for suspected severe malaria in such remote areas. Enrolling nearly 18,000 cases, the aim was to evaluate whether, as patients were in transit to a health facility, a pre-referral artesunate suppository blocked disease progression sufficiently to reduce these risks. The affirmative findings of this, the only trial on the issue thus far, have led the WHO to endorse rectal artesunate as a pre-referral treatment for severe malaria. In the light of its public health importance and because its scientific quality has not been assessed for a systematic review, our paper provides a detailed evaluation of the design, conduct, analysis, reporting, and practical features of this trial. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Tanzania, United Republic of | 1 | 1% |
Pakistan | 1 | 1% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 1% |
Belgium | 1 | 1% |
United States | 1 | 1% |
Unknown | 94 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 16 | 16% |
Student > Master | 13 | 13% |
Student > Bachelor | 10 | 10% |
Student > Postgraduate | 9 | 9% |
Other | 8 | 8% |
Other | 25 | 25% |
Unknown | 18 | 18% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 42 | 42% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 8 | 8% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 6 | 6% |
Economics, Econometrics and Finance | 4 | 4% |
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 4 | 4% |
Other | 11 | 11% |
Unknown | 24 | 24% |