Study	Reason for exclusion
Aceng 2005	Intervention was rectal artemisinin.
Bhattacharya 1997	Not an RCT.
Bunnag 1992	Drug‐resistant malaria not severe malaria.
Dunyo 2011	Uncomplicated malaria.
Falade 2007	Comparison not parenteral treatment.
Fargier 1999	Not an RCT.
Karbwang 1994	Comparison not parenteral treatment.
Karunajeewa 2006	Not an RCT.
Myint 1987	Not an RCT.
Osonuga 2006	No desired review outcomes.
Reham 2012	Patients not randomly selected (non‐probability consecutive sampling used).
Rehman 2013	Design is a case‐control prospective study.
Shwe 1988	Not an RCT.
Shwe 1992	Participants in the artemether arm also received single dose of mefloquine.
White 1992	Participants not randomized.

Abbreviations: RCT: randomized controlled trial.