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Additional file 2: List L1. List of included studies. Table S1. Summary of characteristics of included studies.

Additional file 3: Table S2. Baseline characteristics of patients in the analysis of haematological response. Table S3. Association between haemoglobin change and baseline value. Table S4. Bi-variable analysis of factors associated with drop in haemoglobin on Day 7. Table S5. Bi-variable analysis of factors associated with anaemia on Day 7. Table S6. Univariable analysis of recovery from anaemia. Table S7. Haemoglobin measurements in patients with severe anaemia at any time. Table S8. Baseline characteristics of patients included in the analysis of adverse events. Table S9. Listing of Serious Adverse Events reported in any study. Table S10. Baseline characteristics of patients included in the analysis of haemoglobinuria. Table S11. Univariable analysis for haemoglobinuria. Table S12. Multivariable model of change in haemoglobin on Day 7 in sub-Saharan Africa. Fig. S1. Map of study sites. Fig. S2. Haemoglobin in G6PD deficient patients not included in the Day 7 analysis. Fig. S3. Relationship between haemoglobin at baseline and Day 7 as absolute change. Fig. S4. Relationship between haemoglobin at baseline and Day 7 as fractional change Fig. S5. Relationship between baseline parasitaemia and haematological endpoints. Fig. S6. Dose response relationship for haematological endpoints. Fig. S7. Time to recovery by day when anaemia was first recorded. Fig. S8. Meta-analysis of odds of haemoglobinuria after PQ administration. Fig. S9. Distribution of parasitaemia (observed) used in the simulation study. Figure S10- Predicted risk of severe anaemia (Hb

Additional file 4: Table S13. Risk of bias assessment. Table S14. Individual participant data not available. Fig. S12. Sensitivity analysis for the main haematological results.

BACKGROUND: Primaquine (PQ) actively clears mature Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes but in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient (G6PDd) individuals can cause hemolysis. We assessed the safety of low-dose PQ in combination with artemether-lumefantrine (AL) or dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) in G6PDd African males with asymptomatic P. falciparum malaria. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In Burkina Faso, G6PDd adult males were randomized to treatment with AL alone (n = 10) or with PQ at 0.25 (n = 20) or 0.40 mg/kg (n = 20) dosage; G6PD-normal males received AL plus 0.25 (n = 10) or 0.40 mg/kg (n = 10) PQ. In The Gambia, G6PDd adult males and boys received DP alone (n = 10) or with 0.25 mg/kg PQ (n = 20); G6PD-normal males received DP plus 0.25 (n = 10) or 0.40 mg/kg (n = 10) PQ. The primary study endpoint was change in hemoglobin concentration during the 28-day follow-up. Cytochrome P-450 isoenzyme 2D6 (CYP2D6) metabolizer status, gametocyte carriage, haptoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase levels and reticulocyte counts were also determined. In Burkina Faso, the mean maximum absolute change in hemoglobin was -2.13 g/dL (95% confidence interval [CI], -2.78, -1.49) in G6PDd individuals randomized to 0.25 PQ mg/kg and -2.29 g/dL (95% CI, -2.79, -1.79) in those receiving 0.40 PQ mg/kg. In The Gambia, the mean maximum absolute change in hemoglobin concentration was -1.83 g/dL (95% CI, -2.19, -1.47) in G6PDd individuals receiving 0.25 PQ mg/kg. After adjustment for baseline concentrations, hemoglobin reductions in G6PDd individuals in Burkina Faso were more pronounced compared to those in G6PD-normal individuals receiving the same PQ doses (P = 0.062 and P = 0.022, respectively). Hemoglobin levels normalized during follow-up. Abnormal haptoglobin and lactate dehydrogenase levels provided additional evidence of mild transient hemolysis post-PQ. CONCLUSIONS: Single low-dose PQ in combination with AL and DP was associated with mild and transient reductions in hemoglobin. None of the study participants developed moderate or severe anemia; there were no severe adverse events. This indicates that single low-dose PQ is safe in G6PDd African males when used with artemisinin-based combination therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02174900 Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02654730.