Temperature changes in the course of treatment of severe malaria patients with artemether and quinine

Authors

  • Odusoga Osonuga
  • AA Osonuga Department of Nursing, University of Cape coast, Cape coast
  • IO Osonuga Department of Physiology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Remo Campus
  • A Osonuga School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape coast, Cape coast

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v2i1.3351

Keywords:

, Malaria, artemether, quinine, temperature

Abstract

Objective: Severe malaria is a medical emergency with devastating multi-systemic effects, if not promptly treated with sensitive and safe drugs, death is imminent. Quinine and artemether are antimalarial drugs that are used in treating severe malaria. Efforts in this study were directed at comparing temperature changes in the cause of treatment of severe malaria patients with artemether and quinine in Ikenne local Government area of Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria.

Material & Methods: 32 patients in the study were randomly assigned to receive either artemether or quinine under medical supervision. 16 patients were allocated into two treatment groups. Patients in the quinine treatment were given 10mg/kg body weight quinine into 5% dextrose/saline intravenously 8hourly whilst artemether group were given 1.6mg/kg body weight intramuscularly for 5days. The patients temperature were then followed up for 14days.

Results: A total of 28 out of 32 patients enrolled into the study had temperature ≥ 37.5 °C at day 0. The mean fever clearance time for quinine treatment group was 46.50 ± 20.49 hours while that of artemether group was 72.0 ± 27.7 hours (p=0.006). Fever was completely resolved in both treatment group at day 14.

Conclusion: Results from this study indicated that quinine relative to artemether has a faster and sustained recovery from increased in temperature.

Key Words: Severe malaria; artemether; quinine; temperature

DOI: 10.3126/ajms.v2i1.3351

Asian Journal of Medical Sciences 2 (2011) 41-45

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Published

2011-05-15

How to Cite

Osonuga, O., Osonuga, A., Osonuga, I., & Osonuga, A. (2011). Temperature changes in the course of treatment of severe malaria patients with artemether and quinine. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2(1), 41–45. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v2i1.3351

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Section

Original Articles