Fig. 1

Flow chart of the study population and roll out of parenteral artemisinin derivatives over the study period. Flow chart showing the number of children followed up for cognitive (cognition, attention, memory) and behavioral evaluation at each study time point (1 week following hospital discharge, and 6, 12, and 24 months of follow-up). The number of children who died were lost to follow-up or withdrawn from the study are indicated at each time point. The number of children followed at each time point is indicated, and the difference between the number followed and number tested refers to missed visits or tests not administered. The graph presents the proportion of children treated with parenteral artemisinin over study enrollment with data calculated on a biannual basis (January–June; July–December) from the start of study enrollment in November 2008 until the end of the study in December 2013. Major changes in antimalarial treatment policies are indicated by dashed vertical lines: (1) AQUAMAT results disseminated showing superiority of artesunate over quinine in reducing mortality in African children with severe malaria, November 2010; (2) World Health Organization recommendation of injectable artesunate as the first-line therapy for severe malaria, April 2011; and (3) Ugandan updated clinical guidelines recommending artesunate as the first-line therapy for severe malaria, November 2012