S Biai

Dr S Biai, INDEPTH Network, Bissau Codex, Guinea-Bissau; sidubiai@hotmail.com

STUDY DESIGN

Design:

randomised controlled trial.

Allocation:

unclear.*

Blinding:

unblinded.*

STUDY QUESTION

Setting:

paediatric ward at the national hospital in Guinea-Bissau.

Patients:

951 children 3 months to 5 years of age (median age 24 mo, 56% boys) who had clinically suspected malaria (axillary temperature >37.5°C or recent fever with no other obvious cause); >3 episodes of vomiting in the previous 24 hours; impaired consciousness (Blantyre coma score 3–4); coma (Blantyre score 0–2, ⩾30 min after a generalised convulsion); cerebral malaria (⩾2 convulsions in the preceding 24 h); severe anaemia (haemoglobin <50 g/l); or inability to eat, suck, drink, sit, or stand.

Intervention:

strict implementation of a standardised …