Table 2 Clinical data, histopathological changes and clinical complications of severe malaria cases

Clinical data and complication

 Age (years)

5–42 (20.8 ± 14.6)

3–54 (24.5 ± 13.4)

0.485

 Parasitaemia/µl on admission

412,042.72 ± 224,608.34

594,576.50 ± 822,975.64

0.480

 % PRBC sequestration

65.5 ± 40.68

74.0 ± 36.18

0.552

 Anaemia (%)

100 (11/11)

55 (11/20)

0.012

 Jaundice (%)

54.5 (6/11)

80 (16/20)

0.217

 Pneumonia (%)

45.5 (5/11)

45 (9/20)

1.000

 Acute renal failure (%)

27.3 (3/11)

30 (6/20)

1.000

 Acidosis (%)

63.6 (7/11)

15 (3/20)

0.013

 Shock (%)

9.1 (1/11)

20 (4/20)

0.631

 Systemic bleeding (%)

9.1 (1/11)

20 (4/20)

0.631

 Hypoglycaemia (%)

18.2 (2/11)

5 (1/20)

0.281

 Cerebral malaria (%)

63.6 (7/11)

70 (14/20)

1.000

Histopathological changes (median score)

 Alveolar expansion

1.46 ± 1.24

1.64 ± 0.95

0.607

 Septal congestion

1.73 ± 1.09

1.78 ± 0.68

0.848

 Malarial pigment

1.73 ± 1.09

2.00 ± 0.86

0.385

 Alveolar haemorrhage

0.93 ± 1.09

1.03 ± 1.13

0.778

 PRBCs sequestration

1.46 ± 1.12

1.42 ± 0.95

0.908

 WBC accumulation

2.20 ± 0.77

2.00 ± 0.60

0.356

 Hyaline membrane formation

0.13 ± 0.35

0.39 ± 0.73

0.037

Treatments (number/cases)

 Quinine

3/11

11/20

–

 Artemeter

0/11

2/20

–

 Quinine and artesunate

0/11

1/20

–

 Artesunate and artemeter

1/11

0/20

–

 Data were not available

7/11

6/20

–