Neurological manifestations of Falciparum malaria in children above 6 years of age

Abstract

One hundred patients aged between 6 – 15 years suffered from neurological manifestations of Plasmodium Falciparum malaria and one hundred control with positive blood film but without neurological manifestations have been admitted in Khartoum Children Emergency Hospital (KCEH). The level of hemoglobin, packed cell volume, random blood sugar, blood film for malaria and the level of parasitaemia were done to all patients. Fever, pallor, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly were the most important physical signs found in patients with neurological manifestations of malaria in the frequency of 85%, 43%, 52% and 47% respectively. Loss of consciousness was the commonest neurological manifestation found in [63%] of cases followed by convulsions [32%], hallucination [23%] and acute cerebeller ataxia [9%]. Weakness, aphasia and cranial nerve palsies were rare. The commonest risk factors were deep coma [31%] repeated convulsions [24%], hypoglycemia [24%], and absent corneal reflex [13%]. There was a significant mortality rate in patients with neurological manifestations of plasmodium falciparum malaria [10%]. Neurological sequelae were reported in 18% of cases on discharge, in 10% after one month, and in 7% after 2 months.