Pentoxifylline in Children With Malaria

Inclusion Criteria: Children meeting all of the following criteria are eligible for inclusion in the study. Age greater than or equal to 9 months and less than or equal to 96 months. Informed consent granted by parents/guardians (Appendix I). Has cerebral malaria defined as all of the following: peripheral parasitemia with asexual forms of P. falciparum; inability to localize a painful stimulus 30 minutes after correcting hypoglycemia (blood glucose less than 2.2 mmol/l) in patients who present with hypoglycemia 30 minutes after cessation of convulsive activity in patients who are convulsing on admission; no neck stiffness; no clinical evidence of pneumonia (no rales, no decreased breath sounds, no bronchial breathing). Exclusion Criteria: Children with the following will not be enrolled in the study: Hypotension: mean blood pressure less than 60 mmHg (mean blood pressure = diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) + 1/3 (systolic blood pressure * diastolic blood pressure)). Thrombocytopenia: platelet count less than 50 x 10(to the ninth power)/l. Spontaneous bleeding noted in mouth, throat, nares, rectum, or a venipuncture site following adequate pressure. Hematocrit \< 20% OR hematocrit between 20-25% with parasitemia greater than 10%.