Cerebral Malaria: Epidemiological, Clinical and Prognosis Aspects in the Anesthesia-Resuscitation Department CHU Ignace Deen

Objective: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical and prognostic aspects of cerebral malaria received in the anesthesia-resuscitation department. Methodology: This was a prospective descriptive type study carried out in the anesthesia-resuscitation department over a period of three (03) months (June 01 to August 31, 2022). All patients admitted for cerebral malaria were included. Sociodemographic, clinical and prognostic parameters were studied. Results: We collected 25 cases out of 105 admitted patients (23.8%). The average age was 27.6 ± 9.5 years with extremes of 11 and 50 years. The sex ratio was 0.7 (M/F). Students and housewives were in the majority, i.e. 52% and 24%. Neurological disorders were found on admission in all patients, dominated by impaired consciousness at 100% followed by convulsion (60%), prostration (44%), confusion (36%) associated with deep coma in (68%). Gross hemoglobinuria was present in (84%) of cases. On the blood count, anemia was present in (70%) of the patients followed by thrombocytopenia in more than half of the cases (60%) and transfusion was necessary in 19 cases. P Falciparum malaria was found in all patients (100%), the average parasite density was 60342.8 ± 30425.6 trophozoites/μl with extremes of 9000 to 100000 trophozoites/μl. All our patients were treated with intravenous injectable artesunate. Transfusion was performed in 76% of our patients. Eighty percent of the patients had benefited from dialysis. High oxygen therapy was performed in (92%) of cases. The average duration of hospitalization was 5.74 ± days with extremes of 1 to 17 days. Mortality was 48%. Conclusion: Cerebral malaria can take different clinical forms, the most important of which is cerebral involvement. Prompt initiation of appropriate resuscitation can reduce mortality.