Karbwang 1992 THA

Methods	Trial design: RCT Trial dates: May to December 1991
Participants	Number of participants: 26 adults aged 15 to 45 years enrolled Inclusion criteria: Patients with severe falciparum malaria (WHO definition) with no history of antimalarials within 24 hours prior to admission, aged between 15 to 45 years and weighed 45 to 60kg Exclusion criteria: None stated
Interventions	1. Intramuscular artemether (Arthermin®) Loading dose of 160 mg Followed by 80 mg once daily for six days 2. Intravenous quinine Loading dose of 20 mg/kg Followed by 10 mg/kg eight hourly for seven days Followed by quinine sulphate tablets as soon as oral medication was possible
Outcomes	Outcomes included in the review: Death Coma resolution time Neurological sequelae Fever clearance time Parasite clearance time Adverse effects Outcomes not included in the review: Survival rate Cause of death
Notes	Location: Prapokklao Hospital, Chantaburi, Thailand Transmission: Not stated Funding: Support from United Medical Ltd., Bangkok (provided artemether)
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	"The patients were randomized to receive either quinine or artemether".
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Trial authors provided no information on allocation concealment.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) Objective outcome: Death	Low risk	Trial authors provided no information on blinding. However, lack of blinding is unlikely to bias an objective outcome like death.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) Subjective outcomes: Others	High risk	Trial authors provided no information on blinding, however it may not be feasible due to different routes of administration for both interventions.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	No losses to follow‐up reported.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	No evidence of selective reporting.
Other bias	Low risk	No other bias identified.