title: Jaundice in Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: Thirty-two patients of smear positive Plasmodium falciparum malaria having jaundice were analysed retrospectively. Majority of the cases were in the age group of 31-40 years. Serum bilirubin levels ranged from 2 mg to 40 mg%. Fourteen (42.6%) had serum bilirubin above 10 mg%. Conjugated bilirubinaemia was found in twenty one patients (65.5%), unconjugated in 4 (12.5%) while 7 patients (21.8%) had a mixed pattern. Serum transaminases were high in 21.8% patients. Twenty five patients (78%) had associated azotaemia, 11(34.3%) had intravascular haemolysis and 3(9.3%) had possible cerebral malaria. Hepatosplenomegaly was seen in all the 32 patients. Mortality was 21% but none died of hepatic encephalopathy. Histologically the most consistent finding in liver biopsies was reticulo-endothelial cell hyperplasia. Pigmentation in kupffer cells, fatty change, sinusoidal and portal infiltration and cholestasis were the other features seen.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chawla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sidhu
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Sabharwal
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008288:Malaria / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum
chemical_list: D001663:Bilirubin