Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of patients
| Patients characteristics | Uncomplicated malariaa (n = 8) | Severe malariab (n = 36) | Severe anaemiab (n = 21) | Cerebral malariab (n = 9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (mean ± SD, years) | 2.1 ± 1.0 | 2.3 ± 1.3 | 1.8 ± 0.9 | 3.1 ± 1.8 |
| Minimum/maximum | 0.5–3.2 | 0.15–6.2 | 0.15–3.4 | 0.6–6.2 |
| Males (%) | 37.5 | 41.7 | 47.6 | 33.3 |
| Parasitaemia (median, p/μl) | 26,355 | 65,013 | 30,275 | 61,285 |
| IQR | 10,745–49,385 | 16,870–139,615 | 12,543–113,418 | 38,693–171,483 |
| Temperature (median, °C) | 38.5 | 38.0 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| IQR | 37.3–39.6 | 37.1–39.0 | 37.4–38.7 | 36.6–39.4 |
| Haemoglobin (mean ± SD, g/dl) | 6.9 ± 1.8 | 4.8 ± 1.8 | 3.9 ± 0.8 | 7.7 ± 1.6 |
| Minimum/maximum | 5.1–9.9 | 1.7–10.5 | 1.7–4.9 | 5.8–10.5 |
| Coma score (mean) | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 1.3 |
| IQR | 3–5 | 2–5 | 5–5 | 0–2 |
| Minimum/maximum | 2–5 | 0–5 | 3–5 | 0–2 |
| Lactate (mean ± SD, mM) | 5.1 ± 2.3 | 6.1 ± 3.3 | 6.0 ± 3.2 | 6.6 ± 5.1 |
| Minimum/maximum | 2.4–9.0 | 1.6–17.2 | 2.0–15.2 | 1.6–17.2 |
| Glucose (mean ± SD, mM) | 4.1 ± 1.7 | 5.3 ± 2.2 | 5.0 ± 1.5 | 6.6 ± 2.8 |
| Minimum/maximum | 1.1–5.7 | 1.1–13.4 | 2.2–8.9 | 4.0–13.4 |
| Mortality (%) | 25.0 | 5.6 | 4.8 | 11.1 |
IQR, inter‐quartile range.
a
Patients admitted without fulfilling the criteria for classification as severe malaria cases. Two were septicemic and died.
b
Severe malaria: Hb < 5 g/dl or Blantyre coma score ≤ 2 or ≥ 200,000 parasites/μl. Severe anaemia: Hb < 5 g/dl and Blantyre coma score > 2. Cerebral malaria: Hb ≥ 5 g/dl, Blantyre coma score ≤ 2 and absence of other clinical findings explaining the impaired consciousness. Four patients were diagnosed with both SA and CM, and two were hyperparasitemic with no other severe complications.