Table 5.
Comparison of clinical outcomes in cerebral malaria children with and without retinopathy
| RP (N = 167) | RN (N = 87) | P value† | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case fatality rate (%) (95% CI) | 14.4 (9.4–20.6) | 8.0 (3.3–15.9) | 0.144 |
| Median length of admission [if survived] (days) (IQR) | 7 (6–8) N = 143 | 6 (5–7) N = 80 | < 0.001* |
| Median coma duration (hours) (IQR) | 58.0 (32.0–88.0) | 38.8 (20.0–56.3) | < 0.001* |
| Seizure during admission (%) (95% CI) | 57.5 (49.6–65.1) | 48.3 (37.4–59.2) | 0.162 |
| Median no. of seizures during admission (IQR) | 1 (0–2) | 0 (0–1) | 0.073 |
| Repeated convulsions > 2 in 24 hours (%) (95% CI) | 68.3 (60.6–75.2) | 52.9 (41.9–63.7) | 0.016* |
| Focal seizures during admission (%) (95% CI) | 24.6 (18.2–31.8) | 14.9 (8.2–24.2) | 0.076 |
| Generalized seizures during admission (%) (95% CI) | 35.9 (28.7–43.7) | 35.6 (25.6–46.6) | 0.963 |
| Received transfusion (%) (95% CI) | 68.3 (60.6–75.2) | 36.8 (26.7–47.8) | < 0.001* |
| Median no. of transfusions (IQR) | 1 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) | < 0.001* |
| Received anticonvulsants (%) (95% CI) | 86.2 (80.1–91.1) | 69.0 (58.1–78.5) | 0.001* |
| Received IV fluids (%) (95% CI) | 32.9 (25.9–40.6) | 23.0 (14.6–33.2) | 0.099 |
| Abnormal neurological examination on discharge (%) (95% CI) | 38.3 (30.2–46.9) N = 141 | 30.0 (20.3–41.3) N = 80 | 0.215 |
| Abnormal neurological examination at 6-month follow-up (%) (95% CI) | 7.2 (3.5–12.8) N = 139 | 2.7 (0.3–9.4) N = 74 | 0.224 |
CI = confidence interval; IV = intravenous; RN = retinopathy negative; RP = retinopathy positive; IQR = interquartile range. For results that did not include all participants, the n is listed below the individual result.
*
P < 0.05.
†
For categorical data, the χ2 test was used to compare the two groups. For data represented with median and IQR, the Kruskal–Wallis test was used.