title: Oxygen therapy for cerebral malaria.
abstract: Malaria is an important global health issue, killing nearly one million people worldwide each year. There is a disproportionate disease burden, since 89% of cases are of African origin, and 85% of deaths worldwide occur in children under 5 years of age of age.(1) Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most serious complication of infection. Despite prompt anti-malarial treatment, fatalities remain high - mortality rates while undergoing treatment with Artemisinin or quinine-based therapy reach 15% and 22% respectively.(2) There is, therefore, a need to develop an adjunct therapy to preserve neurological function during the treatment period. Recent experimental research has indicated hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) to be a rational and effective adjunct therapy.(3) This article examines the current understanding of CM, and the possible benefits provided by HBO therapy.
authors.affiliation: UCL Medical School & Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. d.bruce-hickman@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Damian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bruce-Hickman
mesh_terms: D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000379:methods*; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D002738:Chloroquine