Experience with quinine in falciparum malaria

During a period of 1 year from July 95 to June 96, 60 patients with falciparum malaria were treated with quinine at Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Mangalore. Of these, 24 patients developed adverse effects to quinine. They were cinchonism (15) cardiotoxicity (10) hypoglycemia (9) hyperventilation (3) hypersensitivity reactions (3) and hypokalemia (1). Cardiotoxicity was noted in 4 of the 7 patients who received intravenous quinine and all four had renal and hepatic failure and prolonged Q-Tc on electrocardiogram. All 4 died of cardiac arrhythmias, 2 had broad QRS tachycardia and 2 had sinus bradycardia. We conclude that: 1. Quinine should be used cautiously in patients with impaired hepatic or renal function and in those with prolonged QTc as it can lead to cardiotoxicity in the form of I0 AV block, prolonged Q-Tc, broad QRS tachycardai or fatal bradyarrhythmia. Dosage reduction to 5 mg/kg body weight in the patients seem to be safer. 2. Hypoglycemia is a very frequent complication of quinine therapy and special care and frequent blood sugar estimations are required especially if the patient has vomiting. 3. Parenteral quinine is more likely to cause toxicity than oral quinine as earlier described.