Fever clearance time in artemether and quinine group was 38.5 and 45.5 h, respectively (p>0.05). Parasite ... failure or shock, black-water fever, renal failure,.
A Comparative Clinical Study of Artemether and Quinine in Children with Severe Malaria Shazia Memon, Salma Shaikh and M. Akbar Nizamani 1
Department of Peadiatrics, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
Abstract: A randomized comparison of intramuscular artemether and intravenous quinine in children with severe malaria is conducted. Patients were randomized to receive either quinine or artemether. That is, one patient with specific clinical presentation of severe malaria was given intravenous quinine after consent from parents and another patient with similar clinical presentation of severe malaria was treated with artemether. Comparison of two drugs to determine the efficacy was done by certain criteria like, clearance of parasites and fever, recovery from coma and normal functions of the involved system. Sixty cases completed the study protocol, 30 assigned to each drug group. Cerebral malaria was the commonest manifestation (41%). Mean ages in artemether versus quinine group (6.6±3.5 and 5.8±2.4 years) were comparable. The overall mortality rate was 25% with little difference between the two groups. Twelve cases (20%) presented with more than one manifestations of severe malaria. The mortality rate was more with coexisting manifestations of severe malaria. Fever clearance time in artemether and quinine group was 38.5 and 45.5 h, respectively (p>0.05). Parasite clearance time was significantly shorter in artemether group (40.9 vs. 51.9 h; p
