Table 2.
Quantitative Markers of Parasite Load Stratified by Severity Groupings
| Geometric Mean (95% Confidence Interval) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parasite Biomass, Parasites per Child | ||||||
| Patient Group | Parasite Density, Parasites/μL | PfHRP2, ng/mL | Total | Circulating | Sequestered | SI |
| Group 1: all severe malaria (n = 1521) | 39 588 (34 990–44 791) | 1369 (1244–1506) | 1.2 × 1012 (1.1 × 1012 to 1.4 × 1012) | 3.1 × 1010 (2.8 × 1010 to 3.6 × 1010) | 1.2 × 1012 (1.1 × 1012 to 1.4 × 1012) | 40.6 (35.7–46.0) |
| Group 2: uncomplicated malaria (n = 198) | 111 064 (86 798–141 819) | 843 (655–1084) | 5.2 × 1011 (4.0 × 1011 to 6.8 × 1011) | 1.0 × 1011 (8.2 × 1010 to 1.3 × 1011) | 6.0 × 1011 (4.3 × 1011 to 8.4 × 1011) | 4.9 (3.5–6.8) |
| Group 3: asymptomatic malaria (n = 28) | 1092 (523–2280) | 7 (4–12) | 6.4 × 109 (3.9 × 109 to 1.0 × 1010) | 1.5 × 109 (7.4 × 108 to 3.4 × 109) | 4.3 × 109 (1.9 × 109 to 9.4 × 109) | 4.0 (1.8–8.8) |
| P value | <.001 | <.001 | <.001 | <.001 | <.001 | <.001 |
| Severe malaria | ||||||
| Patients who survived (n = 1343) | 43 840 (38 463–49 967) | 1401 (1268–1547) | 1.3 × 1012 (1.2 × 1012 to 1.5 × 1012) | 3.5 × 1010 (3.0 × 1010 to 3.9 × 1010) | 1.3 × 1012 (1.1 × 1012 to 1.4 × 1012) | 38.8 (33.9–44.4) |
| Patients who died (n = 178) | 25 737 (17 495–37 843) | 1146 (833–1577) | 9.4 × 1011 (6.7 × 1011 to 1.3 × 1012) | 1.7 × 1010 (1.1 × 1010 to 2.5 × 1010) | 1.0 × 1012 (7.2 × 1011 to 1.4 × 1012) | 56.9 (39.4–82.3) |
| P value | .01 | .33 | .052 | <.001 | .10 | .01 |
Abbreviations: PfHRP2, Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2; SI, sequestration index.