Table 1 Baseline characteristics by treatment arm

Age in years

20 (14–31) [6–76]

24.5 (17.5–32) [4–65]

0.25

Age ≤ 12 y

12 (22.6)

9 (16.1)

0.38

Sex M:F

44:9

44:12

0.56

 Farmer

40 (75.5)

46 (83.6)

0.29

Symptoms

n = 53

n = 55

 VAS score^a

2 (2–2) [2, 3]

2 (2–2) [1–3]

0.45

 Fever

52 (98.1)

53 (96.4)

0.58

 Chills

51 (96.2)

53 (96.4)

0.97

 Headache

49 (92.5)

54 (98.2)

0.16

 Anorexia

1 (1.9)

0 (0)

0.31

 Nausea

49 (92.5)

41 (74.6)

0.01

 Vomiting

51 (96.2)

53 (96.4)

0.97

 Abdominal pain

4 (7.6)

4 (7.3)

0.96

 Palpitations

3 (5.7)

9 (16.4)

0.08

 Cough

3 (5.7)

3 (5.5)

0.96

 Muscle aches

4 (7.6)

7 (12.7)

0.37

 Passing normal colour urine

53 (100)

55 (100)

–

 Temperature ⁰C

38 (38–38.5) [38–41]

38 (38–38.5) [38–40]

0.75

 Weight kg

48 (36–55) [17–73]

50.5 (40–55.5) [10–74]

0.32

 Respiratory rate / minute

30 (26–30) [20–34]

30 (28–30) [20–32]

0.58

 Normal colour of lips

53 (100)

55 (100)

–

 Pale conjunctivae/palms/tongue

0 (0)

0 (0)

–

 Palpable liver

0 (0)

0 (0)

–

 Palpable spleen

0 (0)

0 (0)

–

G6PD data

 G6PD activity median U/g Hb

10.45 (7.9–12.9) [0.4–17.9]

10.15 (6.7–11.7)[0.4–25]

0.23

 G6PD deficient by FST^b

3 (5.7)

6 (10.9)

0.49

 G6PD deficient by RDT^c

3 (5.7)

6 (10.9)

0.49

 G6PD Viangchan

3

9 (42.8)

0.69

Haemoglobin electrophoresis

n = 52

n = 54

 Normal haemoglobin

23 (44.2)

28 (51.8)

0.34

 Haemoglobin E

22 (42.3)

19 (35.2)

 Mixed Hb E alpha thalassemia

3 (5.8)

1 (1.8)

 Mixed Hb E beta thalassemia

0

3 (5.6)

 Alpha thalassemia

3 (5.8)

3 (5.6)

 Heterozygous foetal haemoglobin

1 (1.9)

0

 Haemoglobin g/dL

12.63 (2.29) [6.9–18.2]

13.19 (2.1) [8.7–18]

0.19

 Reticulocyte count %

1.5 (1–2)[0.4–4.2]

1.65 (1.05–2.6) [0.3–9.2]

0.13

 Methaemoglobin %

1.5 (1.3–1.8) [0.7–1.9]

1.3 (1.2–1.7) [0.6–2]

0.90

 Total white cell count ×  10³/μL

5.6 (4.5–7.0) [1.5–13]

5.45 (4.45–6.3) [1.6–10.3]

0.50

Platelet count ×10³/μL

89 (49–122) [12–336)

101.5 (76–156.5) [10–328]

0.04

 Total bilirubin μmol/L

15.65 (8.6–19.4) [3.7–56.1]

13.35 (10.1–22.1) [3.7–90.5]

0.87

 Conjugated bilirubin μmol/L

6.35 (4.1–9.2) [1.3–16.7]

5.85 (4.45–9.25) [2.3–20.4]

0.70

 Free bilirubin μmol/L

8.2 (5.2–10.9) [2.2–49.0)

7.4 (5.75–12.5) [1.4–70.1]

0.97

 AST IU/L

26 (22–38) [12–133]

28 (22–38) [15–84]

0.99

 ALT IU/L

21 (16–28) [6–125]

23.5 (15.5–35.5) [4–140]

0.42

LDH IU/L

250 (222–347) [137–772]

225.5 (200–285) [59–657]

0.04

Haptoglobin g/L

0.69 (0.1–1.43) [0.03–2.24]

0.59 (0.1–1.53) [0.01–2.64]

0.60

Creatinine μmol/L

63 (49–74) [29–112]

63.5 (44.5–72) [18–120]

0.53

 Falciparum parasitaemia N/μL

19,800 (5800-68,119) [1–350,000]

18,600 (3923–36,093 [40–800,200]

0.40

 Hillmen colour scale

3 (3–3) [1–4]

3 (3–3) [1–4]

0.57