The Open Tropical Medicine Journal, 2009, 2, 39-44
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Open Access
Characterization and Treatment of Severe Malaria in Hospitalized Children at a Ghanaian District Hospital R.N.K. Gyapong1, M. Duwiejua*,1, F.Y. Bio2, E. Woode3, C. Ansah3, F.T. Owusu-Daaku1 and K.O. Buabeng1 1
Department of Clinical and Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana 2
Department of Community Health, School of Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
3
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana Abstract: Objective: To document the demography of paediatric admissions due to severe malaria, presentation and determinants of clinical symptoms and treatment for the condition at the KNUST Hospital, Ghana. Methods: A prospective, non-randomized, observational study was undertaken at the Children’s Ward of the KNUST Hospital, in Kumasi. During a one month period, the symptoms on admission, treatment and treatment outcome of included children were documented. Inclusion criteria were age 0-144 months, verbal informed consent and severe malaria defined by presence of asexual Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia coupled with at least one criterion suggestive of severe malaria as defined by WHO. Results: Overall, there were 82 malaria admissions with 69 cases being enrolled. On admission, mean haemoglobin levels were consistent for both males and females. Mean body weight was higher for females. Main presentations were anaemia of moderate to severe form (56); fever (52) and convulsions (24). Prostration was observed in all cases. Children under 5 years of age were associated with anaemia (p=0.018) and neurological symptoms (p=0.003). Clinical presentation of severe malaria was found to be independent of patients’ sex. Quinine was used as treatment in 17 cases; monotherapy with artemisinin derivatives in 26 cases and artemisinin-amodiaquine combinations in 19 of the cases. No deaths were recorded. Conclusions: Children under 5 years of age presented more often with severe malaria. Prostration, anaemia and neurological symptoms were the most frequent manifestations.
Key Words: Severe malaria, anaemia; convulsions; prostration, quinine, artemisinin. INTRODUCTION Globally, malaria-attributable death rates have been estimated to be as high as 75 % of all deaths in children under the age of five years in Africa [1]. In Ghana, malaria accounts for approximately 44% of reported outpatient cases and an estimated 22% of mortality in children under-5 years of age at primary health care facilities [2]. Complications of malaria in children include metabolic acidosis (often caused by hypovolaemia), hypoglycaemia, hyperlacticacidaemia, severe anaemia, seizures and raised intracranial pressure [3]. The clinical presentation of severe malaria is affected by a number of factors including the genetic characteristics of the population, malaria epidemiology, health-seeking behaviour and non-malaria co-morbidity [4-8]. Other determi-
*Address correspondence to this author at the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana; Tel: +233 51 60 359 / +233 20 815 0189 (mobile); Fax: +233-51-60137; E-mails:
[email protected],
[email protected] 1874-3153/09
nants of malaria severity are age, geographic location and level of transmission [9-11]. Prompt early recognition of the signs and symptoms, followed by administration of appropriate parenteral antimalarial agents is crucial to the successful management of severe malaria. Since knowledge of the local clinical and epidemiological spectrum of severe malaria is critical for early diagnosis and successful treatment of the disease, we sought in this study to describe the presentation of severe malaria at the time of admission, the prevalence and determinants of clinical symptoms, and to assess appropriateness of pharmacotherapy for the condition at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital, Ghana. SUBJECTS AND METHOD Study Site The study was conducted at the KNUST Hospital. The hospital is situated approximately eight miles to the east of 2009 Bentham Open
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The Open Tropical Medicine Journal, 2009, Volume 2
Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region of Ghana. It is classified as a district hospital by the Ministry of Health of Ghana – a hospital that serves as the main referral point for surrounding health facilities. The hospital serves a catchment area population of approximately 300,000 including the University community (with an estimated population of 150,000 as at June, 2008) and surrounding localities. Malaria is holoendemic in this area with an entomological inoculation rate (EIR) of about 400 infective bites per individual per year. The average annual attendance is estimated at 112,000 with approximately 4,397 admissions per year. Malaria in all ages accounts for an annual average of 45,762 attendances, constituting 40.9% of average annual attendances. Paediatric attendance accounts for 9.8% (11,028/112,000) with annual average of 1150 admissions. The Children’s Ward of the hospital is a 24-bed ward. Study Design A prospective, non-randomized, observational study, spanning a one-month period (May, 2008) was undertaken at the Children’s Ward of the KNUST Hospital, in Kumasi. All new paediatric admissions over the stipulated study period were captured. Included in this study were patients who showed a positive blood film for asexual forms of Plasmodium falciparum, were aged 0-144 months (inclusive), expressed at least one symptom suggestive of severe malaria (Table 1) and whose parents/care-givers gave verbal informed consent. Patients already on admission with either severe malaria or some other medical condition, on commencement of the study were not enrolled. Patients admitted during the study period but whose clinical presentation, on admission, was due to a cause other than severe malaria were also excluded. All data were captured on structured case report forms bearing patient demographic information and identification numbers to ensure confidentiality. The symptoms on
Gyapong et al.
admission, treatment and treatment outcome for each patient were recorded. Definitions Severe malaria was defined by an asexual Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia, with at least one of the following criteria, and no apparent, non-malarious cause of these symptoms [11]: Fever was defined as axillary temperature > 37.5oC. Parasitaemia was determined by Giemsa-stained thick blood films. High parasitaemia was defined by 11-100 parasites per 100 thick film fields (++), 1-10 parasites per single thick film field (+++), or >10 parasites per single thick field film (++++). Low parasitaemia (+) referred to 1-10 parasites per 100 thick film fields. Dosages of anti-malarial agents were deemed incorrect if the drug dose, frequency of administration or duration of therapy did not conform with recommended guidelines, either individually or collectively. Guidelines on Treatment for Severe Malaria At the time of this study, the national recommended treatment for severe malaria was as follows: Quinine (10mg/kg body weight of dihydrochloride salt, maximum 600mg, 8 hourly given intravenously over 4 hours until patient can tolerate oral quinine to complete a full 7-day course. In previously untreated patients, a loading dose of 20mg/kg body weight is given. Alternatively, intramuscular injections of 10mg/kg of quinine dihydrochloride may be given 8 hourly until oral therapy can be tolerated) or Artemisinin derivatives (artemether - 3.2 mg/kg body weight intramuscularly on the first day, followed by 1.6 mg/kg body weight daily for a minimum of 3 days until the patient can take oral treatment or another effective antimalarial; artesunate – 2.4 mg/kg body weight on the first day, followed by 1.2 mg/kg body weight daily for a minimum of
Table 1. WHO Definition Criteria for Severe Malaria Sign/Symptom Severe anaemia Prostration Respiratory distress Hyperpyrexia Multiple convulsions
Definition Hb < 5g/dL or PCV< 15% Inability to sit or drink/eat, although normally able to do so Sustained nasal flaring, subcostal recessions or Kussmaul breathing Axillary temperature > 40oC History of convulsions within preceding 24 hours, and one directly observed convulsion
Impaired consciousness
Blantyre score 4
Coma
Blantyre score 2
Hypoglycaemia Circulatory collapse
Whole blood glucose
