Ophthalmoscopic abnormalities in adults with falciparum malaria (original) (raw)

1998, QJM: An International Journal of Medicine

We studied 424 adults with falciparum malaria oedema, six (2.80%) cerebral and five non-cerebral malaria; disc pallor, five patients all with cerebral admitted over 28 months. They were divided into three groups: cerebral malaria (n=214); severe non-malaria; vitreous haemorrhage and hard exudate in one patient each, both cerebral malaria. Retinal cerebral malaria (n=58); and uncomplicated malaria (n=152). Fundus examination was done daily haemorrhage was associated with cerebral malaria and severe non-cerebral malaria, especially with from admission to discharge, and weekly thereafter in those with persistent changes. All patients were severe anaemia (p<0.001), as compared to uncomplicated malaria (p<0.01). The association of papil-treated by a protocol based on WHO guidelines. Ophthalmoscopic abnormalities were: retinal haem-loedema and cerebral malaria was highly significant compared to severe non-cerebral malaria (p< orrhages, 40 (9.43%) (25 cerebral malaria, 10 severe non-cerebral and five uncomplicated malaria); papil-0.001). None of these findings was associated with statistically significant mortality, except disc pallor loedema, 17 (7.94%) cerebral malaria and two uncomplicated malaria; blurring of disc margins, 25 in cerebral malaria (p<0.05).