Hypoglycaemia In Children With Cerebral Malaria Seen At The Lagos University Teaching Hospital: Predisposing Factors. S U Nwosu , *F E A Lesi , **A G, Mafe *M T C Egri-Okwaji

SUMMARY

Background: Cerebral malaria is one of the most lethal presentations of malaria. Many factors contribute to death among children with malaria. Hypoglycaemia is one of those factors that may contribute to the co-morbidity and mortality seen in cerebral malaria. Objective: To document some of the factors that predispose to hypoglycaemia in childhood cerebral malaria.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study of children attending the emergency room of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The patients were children with cerebral malaria grouped according to their glycaemic status.

Results: Cerebral malaria was documented in 107 children between eight months and 10 years of age, out of which 18 (17%) were hypoglycaemic. Factors associated with hypoglycaemia were duration of pre-treatment coma (p<0.00001), time since last feed (p<0.00001), duration of fever (p=0.01) and number of convulsions before presentation (p<0.00001). Neurological sequelae were commoner among hypoglycaemic children (16.7% vs. 7.9%) but this was not statistically significant (p=0.36).

Conclusion: This study shows that hypoglycaemia occurs commonly in children with cerebral malaria and that it is associated with a multiplicity of factors. However, it did not seem to contribute to death or sequelae among our patients. Niger Med. J, Vol 45, No. 1, January - March 2004: 9 - 13.

Keywords: Hypoglycaemia, Cerebral malaria, Children.