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Table 1 General characteristics

From: Predictive value of lymphocytopenia and the neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio for severe imported malaria

 

Severe P. falciparum

Non-severe P. falciparum

Non-falciparum

P value

 

n=61

n=259

n=120

 

Demographics

    

  Age, years

44 (4–70)

39 (11–78)

36 (15–77)

0.0005*

  Male/female, n (%)

39 (64%)/ 22 (36%)

191 (74%) / 68 (26%)

83 (69%)/37 (31%)

NS#

Immunity to P. falciparum

   

0.0029#

  Non-immune

42 (69%)

123 (47%)

N/A

 

  Partially immune

19 (31%)

118 (46%)

N/A

 

  Semi-immune

0 (0%)

3 (1%)

N/A

 

  Unknown

0 (0%)

16 (6%)

N/A

 

Continent of acquisition

   

NS#

  Africa, n (%)

56 (92%)

240 (93%)

42 (35%)

 

  Asia, n (%)

3 (5%)

11 (4%)

50 (42%)

 

  South and Central America, n (%)

1 (2%)

5 (2%)

26 (22%)

 

  Unknown, n (%)

1 (2%)

3 (1%)

2 (2%)

 

Duration of signs/symptoms

   

0.007#

  <8 days, n (%)

38 (62%)

177 (68%)

58 (48%)

 

  8-14 days, n (%)

17 (28%)

45 (17%)

24 (20%)

 

  15-28 days, n (%)

2 (3%)

20 (8%)

11 (9%)

 

  >28 days, n (%)

0 (0%)

5 (2%)

8 (7%)

 

  Unknown, n (%)

4 (7%)

12 (5%)

19 (16%)

 

Use of malaria chemoprophylaxis

   

<0.0001#

  No chemoprophylaxis, n (%)

49 (80%)

182 (70%)

51 (43%)

 

  Inadequate use, n (%)

8 (13%)

46 (18%)

15 (13%)

 

  Adequate use, n (%)

2 (3%)

20 (8%)

42 (35%)

 

  Unknown, n (%)

2 (3%)

11 (4%)

12 (10%)

 

Vital signs on admission

    

  Body temperature, °C

38.4 (35.7-41.2)

38.5 (35.5-41.0)

38.9 (36.0-41.2)

NS*

  Pulse rate, beats per minute

103 (50–150)

90 (45–140)

90 (58–138)

0.0005*

  Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg

117 (80–160)

120 (73–185)

120 (90–196)

N.T.

  Impaired consciousness (GCS<15), n (%)

8 (13%)

1 (0%)

0 (0%)

N.T.

  Coma (GCS≤11), n (%)

3 (5%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

N.T.

Laboratory data on admission

    

  Haemoglobin, mmol/L

7.8 (2.5-10.9)

8.4 (4.0-11.1)

8.2 (4.6-11.2)

N.T.

  Thrombocytes, Ă— 109/L

39 (3–188)

101 (18–293)

95 (10–292)

<0.0001*

  C-reactive protein, mg/L

182 (65–476)

85 (5–320)

71 (14–348)

<0.0001*

  Serum creatinine, μmol/L

114 (39–1081)

93 (47–238)

90 (53–255)

N.T.

  Serum sodium, mmol/L

131 (115–146)

135 (119–145)

135 (124–148)

<0.0001*

  Lactate dehydrogenase, U/L

485 (139–2038)

268 (118–947)

246 (127–775)

<0.0001*

  Total bilirubin, μmol/L

53 (13–416)

22 (4–164)

22 (3–99)

N.T.

  Plasma lactate, mmol/L

2.3 (0.6-6.2)

1.4 (0.5-4.6)

1.3 (0.6-4.0)

<0.0001*

Leukocyte counts

    

  Total leukocyte count, Ă— 109/L

6.9 (2.5-18.5)

4.9 (1.3-13.4)

5.3 (1.9-15.3)

<0.0001*

  Neutrophil count, Ă— 109/L

3.6 (0.6-10.4)

3.1 (0.4-11.0)

3.2 (1.0-11.6)

0.0064*

  Neutrophil count%

60 (19–85)

64 (13–91)

64 (20–88)

NS*

  Lymphocyte count, Ă— 109/L

1.0 (0.2-4.2)

0.9 (0.1-5.0)

1.1 (0.3-6.1)

NS*

  Lymphocyte count %

15 (4–45)

19 (2–74)

21 (5–74)

0.0036*

  NLCR

3.5 (0.7-17.0)

3.3 (0.2-46)

2.8 (0.3-17.6)

NS*

Parasite count

    

  P.falciparum load (asexual parasites/μL)

230,000 (520–1,380,600)

4,288 (2–208,000)

N/A

N.T.

  Presence of P. falciparum schizonts%)

33 (54%)

11 (4%)

N/A

<0.0001^

Concomitant infection

    

  All concomitant infections

8 (13%)

11 (4%)

10 (8%)

<0.0001#

  Concomitant bacterial infection

5 (8%)

3 (1%)

2 (2%)

0.004#

  1. * Comparison of 3 groups using the Kruskal Wallis test, # Comparison of 3 groups using the Chi-Square Test, ^ Comparison of 2 groups using Fisher’s Exact test. Parameters that are included in the modified WHO severity criteria for severe falciparum malaria were not tested (N.T.).
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Malaria Journal

ISSN: 1475-2875

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