Table 2.

Classification of 35 patients with fatal outcome from cardiac origin presumably related to halofantrine (HF) according to the number of predisposing factors to cardiac complication and indication for halofantrine

Number of predisposing factor(s), number of patients (number of children)	Details on predisposing factors (underlying cardiac disease, concomitant medication, misuse of HF, etc)	Wrong or debatable indication for HF
no predisposing factors, n = 9 (0)	Pt # 2, 11§ 12, 16, 17, 18, 20, 31, 33	a* = 1, b* = 2, c* = 1, d* = 2
1 predisposing factor, n = 16 (2)	Pt # 1, 30: vibramycine	b* = 3, c* = 2
	Pt # 5, 8, 14, 19: chloroquine	e* = 1
	Pt # 7: bundle branch block¤
	Pt # 9, 34: HF taken with food
	Pt # 13: metronidazole
	Pt # 21: potassium infusion
	Pt # 23: unknown severe cardiac valve disease
	Pt # 24: angina pectoris
	Pt # 25: ciprofloxacine
	Pt # 29: mefloquine
	Pt # 32: HF overdose (45 mg/kg)
2 predisposing factors, n = 5 (2)	Pt # 3: cardiomyopathy¤ + furosemide	a* = 1; c* = 1
	Pt # 4: obesity + chloroquine	d* = 1; f* = 1
	Pt # 6: tachycardia + mefloquine
	Pt # 10: severe anaemia and dehydration + amodiaquine
	Pt # 26: unknown right ventricular arrhythmogenic dysplasia + chloroquine
3 predisposing factors, n = 5 (1)	Pt # 15: cardiac arrhythmia + chloroquine + amodiaquine	b*= 2; c* = 2
	Pt # 22: arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure + indapamide + HF taken with food
	Pt # 27: unknown cardiomyopathy + mefloquine + erythromycin
	Pt # 28: unknown right ventricular arrhythmogenic dysplasia + chloroquine + probable HF overdose°
	Pt # 35: tachyarrhythmia¤ + mefloquine + HF overdose (72 mg/kg)

*: a = no certainty of malaria diagnosis/no blood smear performed (industrialised country);

b = no certainty of malaria diagnosis/no blood smear performed (developing country);

c = no malaria (blood smear negative); d = possible severe malaria; e = severe malaria;

f = P. vivax

¤: known prior to HF prescription; §actual exposure to HF unsure; ° high HF blood level (see text)