Comparative Study of Clinicoetiological Profile of Cerebral Malaria in Hospitalized Children Due to P. Falciparum and P. Vivax

Background & Methods: The aim of the study is to comparative study of clinicoetiological profile of cerebral malaria in hospitalized children due to p. falciparum and p. vivax. All those children who were previously neurologically normal, of age 6 months – 18 years and presented with a history of fever with generalised convulsion and loss of conscious for more than 30 min, underwent a peripheral blood smear examination and rapid diagnostic test for malarial parasite. Results: Out of 41 children infected with P. Vivax, intermittent fever was present in 41 (100%), chills and rigors 24(58.5%), headache4(9.7%), vomiting18(43.9%), loses tools 2(4.8%), GTCS-1episode 15(36.5%), GTCS>1episode26(63.4%), respiratory distress in 24(58.5%), pallor in 18 (43.9%), icterus in 4 (9.7%), edema in 3 (7.3%), hypotension in 3 (7.3%), hypoglycaemia in 2(4.8%), hepatomegaly in 34 (82.9%) and splenomegaly in 28 (68.2%), rashes 2(4.8%), abnormal bleeding 3 (7.3%)and black water fever was present in none of the patients. For 29 children with P. Falciparum, the same symptoms had different percentages as follows: intermittent fever was present in 29 (100%), chills and rigors 16(55.1%), headache 2(6.8%), vomiting 7(24%), loose stools1(3.4%), GTCS-1episode 21(72.4%), GTCS>1episode 8(27.5%), respiratory distress in 14 (48.2%), pallor in 14 (48.2%), icterus in 1 (3.4%), edema in 4 (13.7%), hypotension in 2 (6.8%), hypoglycaemia in 2(6.8%), hepatomegaly in 23 (79.3%) and splenomegaly i(72.4%), rashes 3(10.3%), abnormal bleeding 3(10.3%), black water fever 1(3.4%). Conclusion: The features which were present in more percentage of the cases infected with P. Vivax were chills and rigors, headache, vomiting, loses tools, GTCS>1episode (p <0.05) was a significant finding, respiratory distress, hypotension, icterus, hepatomegaly. However, in P. Falciparum the symptoms like GTCS-1episode (p<0.001)is highly significant association, hypoglycaemia, pallor, edema and splenomegaly, rashes, abnormal bleeding and black water fever were more commonly reported. Among these, chills and rigors, loose stools, hypoglycaemia, hypotension, pallor, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were more or less found in equal number of the patients.