Publication: Convulsions in childhood malaria
Issued Date
1994-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
18783503
00359203
00359203
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-0028024624
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.88, No.4 (1994), 426-428
Suggested Citation
Y. Wattanagoon, S. Srivilairit, S. Looareesuwan, N. J. White Convulsions in childhood malaria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.88, No.4 (1994), 426-428. doi:10.1016/0035-9203(94)90415-4 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/9594
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Title
Convulsions in childhood malaria
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Abstract
A retrospective survey was conducted of all 2911 children admitted with malaria to 4 provincial hospitals in eastern Thailand between 1977 and 1987. 96 (3·3%) had cerebral malaria of whom 21 (22%) died, 225(7·7%) had convulsions but were not comatose (4 died), and 2590 were conscious and had no fits (5 died).Thus the relative risk of a fatal outcome associated with convulsions, in the absence of cerebral malaria, was 9·2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2·5–34·1), P = 0·004. Overall, Plasmodium falciparum caused 81% of infections, P. vivax 16%, and 3% were mixed. Convulsions without cerebral malaria were more common in children under 3 years old (16%) compared with older children (3%): Relative risk 5·6 (95% CI = 4·2–7·5), and were significantly associated with falciparum malaria(8·3%) compared with vivax malaria (4·7%): Relative risk 1·7 (95% CI = 1·1–2·7). Convulsions are an important complication of malaria in young children, and are associated specifically with P. falciparum infection, even in otherwise uncomplicated malaria. © 1994 Oxford University Press.