Spanish 
Chinese 
Russian 
German 
French 
Japanese 
Portuguese 
Hindi Research Article
Clinical and Biological Factors Associated with Treatment Outcome of Cerebral Malaria in Children under Five in Yaounde
Francisca Monebenimp1*, Calvin Ebai Bisong2, Andreas Chiabi1, David Chelo1, and Roger Moyo-Somo3
1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 2666 Yaounde, Cameroon
2Ministry of Public Health, Yaounde, Cameroon
3Institute for Medical Research and Medicinal Plants, Yaounde, Cameroon
- *Corresponding Author:
- Francisca Monebenimp
Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 2666 Yaounde, Cameroon
E-mail: fmonebe@yahoo.fr
Received Date: 27 May 2010; Accepted Date: 28 June 2010
Abstract
This is a retrospective study that was carried out in the pediatric unit of the Yaounde Central Hospital from January to August 2008. The aim of the study was to determine the clinical factors associated with the treatment outcome of cerebral malaria in children under five. Included in the study were 77 children with cerebral malaria all of whom received malaria treatment either Quinine or Arteether. They were followed up from admission to discharge. ANOVA and Chi square tests were calculated and the level of significance was 0.05. The mean age of the study population was 29.68±14.20 months, and the sex ratio was 1.85. We noted 22 (29%) deaths during the course of the treatment. Clinical factors associated with death were fever clearance time (P = .01) and coma recovery time (P = .002). Blood glucose, home treatment and its duration, vomiting and fever at presentation, duration of illness, and parasite clearance time did not influence mortality. As regards biological parameters, the mean hemoglobin level on admission (P = .004), high blood urea levels (P = .01), and hypoglycemia (P = .01) were associated with increased deaths. Health professionals should be sensitized to promptly recognize hypoglycemia, anemia, uremia while checking fever clearance time and coma recovery time in the proper management of cerebral malaria in order to lower mortality in children under five with cerebral malaria.
