ABSTRACT
In order to find out the best drug combination for treatment of cerebral malaria at less equipped hospitals, 105 cases of cerebral malaria belonging to Mawlamyine, Pyin Oo Lwin and North Okkalapa hospitals were studied in a controlled trial of three regimens. (1) Intramuscular artemether total dose 480 mg plus mefloquine 750 mg in a single dose given through nasogastric tube at day 0. (2) Intravenous artesunate total dose 240 mg plus mefloquine 750 mg as in regimen 1. (3) Intravenous quinine dighdrochloride 600 mg in 180 ml infusion of dextrose saline given over 4 hours. The dose is repeated every 8 hours until the patient can swallow the tablets. Then oral quinine sulphate tablets were given 600 mg 8 hourly. Total period of quinine therapy is 7 days. Tetracycline 250 mg capsules were given 6 hourly for 7 days (started via nasogastric tube while the patient is unconscious). There was no significant difference in overall mortality rate, mean parasite clearance time, mean fever clearance time and mean time to regain consiousness between the three groups. Thus quinine-tetracycline (if necessary to supplement with artemether-mefloquine at 48 hours if the patient failed to respond to initial treatment) is suggested, as the drug of first choice for the management of cerebral malaria in Myanmar.