title: Spectrum of complications associated with Plasmodium vivax infection in a tertiary hospital in South-Western India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the range and incidence of complications associated with Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) malaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was performed of all patients of P. vivax malaria admitted in Kasturba Medical College, Manipal between January and December, 2010. Patients with mixed malarial infection were excluded by appropriate tests. Clinical presentation and laboratory parameters were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical records of 213 individuals who satisfied the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Anaemia was seen in 65 (30.5%), leucopenia in 38 (17.8%) and thrombocytopenia in 184 (86.4%) patients. Aspartate and alanine aminotransferases were elevated in 86 (40.4%), and 89 (41.9%) patients respectively. Hypoalbuminemia was observed in 157 (73.6%) cases. Elevated serum creatinine was noted in in 59 (27.5%) patients. Creatine kinase was elevated in 30 out of 59 patients (50.8%). Overall, 107 (50.2%) patients fulfilled WHO criteria for severe malaria. None of the patients succumbed to the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P. vivax malaria is a potentially severe disease, and the term "benign" tertian malaria is a misnomer. Despite significant morbidity, with timely and appropriate treatment P. vivax malaria has an excellent outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Kushal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naha
authors.forename: Sowjanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dasari
authors.forename: Mukhyaprana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prabhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D034141:Hypoalbuminemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003402:Creatine Kinase