Does the Use of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine in Treating Patients with Uncomplicated falciparum Malaria Reduce the Risk for Recurrent New falciparum Infection More Than Artemether-Lumefantrine?

Table 8

Total new falciparum infections detected by day 42.

Study name	Study groups with number of new infections	Risk (𝑅)	Risk ratio (RR) (95% CI)	𝑃 value	Interpretation for the RR values
Sawa et al., 2013 [34]	DP (𝑛/𝑁): 3/134; AL (𝑛/𝑁): 23/145	0.022; 0.159	0.141; (0.043–0.459)	0.001	There has been 85.9% reduction in new infection associated with DP treatment. Highest plausible reduction is 95% while lowest is 54% defined by the 95% CI. The reduction is statistically significant.
Yeka et al., 2008 [35]	DP (𝑛/𝑁): 16/215; AL (𝑛/𝑁): 30/199	0.074; 0.151	0.494; (0.278–0.878)	0.016	There was 50.6% reduction in risk to acquire new falciparum infection in favour of DP treatment and the reduction is statistically significant.
Bassat et al., 2009 [32]	DP (𝑛/𝑁): 122/1038; AL (𝑛/𝑁): 105/510	0.118; 0.206	0.571; (0.450–0.725)	<0.001	This result shows 42.9% reduction in risk of getting new infections with falciparum and the reduction was in favour of DP and is statistically significant. The lowest plausible reduction is 27.5% while the highest is 55% as defined by the 95% CI of the RR.
Kamya et al., 2007 [30]	DP (𝑛/𝑁): 77/211; AL (𝑛/𝑁): 79/210	0.365; 0.376	0.970; (0.756–1.244)	0.811	DP treatment was associated with only 3% risk reduction for new infection and the reduction is statistically insignificant.