Dexamethasone adjuvant therapy and intramuscular ceftriaxone in bacterial meningitis amongst adults in an area of high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence in Blantyre, Malawi

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN31371499

Enrollment

420

Registered

2005-09-07

Start date

2002-05-15

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Bacterial Meningitis Infections and Infestations Meningitis

Interventions

Dexamethasone 16 mg twice daily for 4 days versus placebo. Ceftriaxone 2 mg twice daily for ten days given either IV or IM.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: All adults admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre with a preliminary diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Age less than 16 years 2. Steroids received within the 24 hours preceeding admission

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Mortality at 40 days	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Death or disability at 40 days 2. Clinically apparent hearing loss at 40 days 3. Death at six months	—

Countries

Malawi

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Apr 6, 2026