Protein energy malnutrition and cerebral malaria in Nigerian children.
Eight (14 per cent) out of 57 consecutive cerebral malaria patients (all < 5 years old) were malnourished, including one with marasmus and another recovering from kwashiorkor. This was significantly lower than among other paediatric patients in the same children's emergency ward (112/319, i.e. 35 per cent, P < 0.01). Poor outcomes (death or recovery with neurological deficits) were commoner in the malnourished group (4/8) than the well nourished group (7/49) (P = 0.037, Fisher's exact test). Malnourished children should receive malaria chemoprophylaxis during nutritional rehabilitation.
Olumese
P E
PE
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Sodeinde
O
O
Ademowo
O G
OG
Walker
O
O
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011379:Prognosis; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy