title: Hypoglycaemia in severe falciparum malaria.
abstract: The incidence of hypoglycaemia and the role of quinine in its causation was assessed in 46 patients with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Plasma glucose and immunoreactive insulin were estimated before, during and after quinine therapy. In 5 patients the plasma glucose was in the hypoglycaemic range, the lowest value being 0.67 mmol/litre (12 mg/dl) in a pregnant patient. Most of the remaining patients showed a significant fall in plasma glucose (P less than 0.05), but not to the hypoglycaemic range, and an increase in plasma insulin after quinine (P less than 0.01). A good correlation was found between these changes (r = 0.79, P less than 0.01). Patients with severe P. falciparum malaria, particularly those on quinine therapy, should be watched carefully for developing hypoglycaemia.
authors.affiliation: Rourkela Steel Plant, Ispat General Hospital, Orissa, India.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Satpathy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Satapathy
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Patnaik
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Bose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D011803:Quinine / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D011803:Quinine