Skip to main content

Table 2 Biological and radiological features of PMNS post P. falciparum, P. vivax or mixed infection

From: Post-malaria neurological syndrome: four cases, review of the literature and clarification of the nosological framework

 

CSF (WBC/%L)

CSF protein (g/L)

CRP (mg/L)

EEG

MRI

MRI matching ADEM or AIE

P. falciparum infection

 Case 1

32/90

1.05

N

Abnormal

N

 Case 2

82/87

2.41

N

Abnormal

Limbic and hippocampal hypersignal

ADEM plausible

 Case 3

173/89

1.88

40

Abnormal

N

 Case 4

NA

NA

N

NA

NA

 

 Nguyen [4] (N = 22)

> 5 in 8/lymphocytic predominance

> 0.5 in 13

NA

NA

NA

 

O’Brien [6]

NA

NA

NA

NA

WM lesions in CH, brainstem, cerebellum, thalamus and basal ganglia

ADEM plausible

Zambito [7]

20/100

0.86

NA

Abnormal

N

Mizuno [8]

10/100

0.83

27

Abnormal

N

Nayak [9]

N/N

0.66

NA

NA

NA

 

Prendki [10]

76/100

0.52

163

Abnormal

N

Prendki [10]

26/91

1.88

9

Abnormal

N

Falchook [11]

NA

NA

N

NA

Pons, posterior internal capsule, thalamus, corona radiata, and periventricular hypersignal

ADEM unlikely

Matias [12]

N/N

1.83

N

Abnormal

Extensive demyelinating lesions (subcortical WM and cerebellum)

ADEM or dysimmune plausible

Markley [13]

20/100

0.92

NA

Abnormal

N

Forestier [14]

43/95

1.2

N

Abnormal

N

Rakoto.[15]

31/98

2

N

NA

NA

 

Pace [16]

NA

NA

8

NA

Brainstem and spinal cord high signal and swelling

ADEM plausible

Caetano [17]

123/100

1.88

NA

Normal

N

 

Mohsen [18]

22/100

1.4

NA

Abnormal

Subcortical unilateral frontal and temporal, and cerebellar hypersignal with gadolinium enhancement

ADEM unlikely but not impossible

Schnorf [19]

10/95

0.6

NA

Abnormal

Peri and supraventricular and cerebellar hypersignal

ADEM plausible

Schnorf [19]

80/87

1.8

NA

Abnormal

N

 

Agrawal [20]

5/100

1.12

NA

NA

Asymmetric supraventricular, semi-ovale center, genu of corpus callosum WM hypersignal

NA

Rachita [21]

7/100

1.25

NA

NA

Multifocal asymmetric diffuse WM hypersignal with small mass effect

ADEM

Lawn [22]

N/N

0.89

N

NA

N

Lawn [22]

59/100

2.89

N

Abnormal

N

Total abnormal

25/42

33/42

5/14

14/15

9/21

 

% abnormal [95% CI]

59.5 [44.5–72.9]

78.6 [64.1–88.3]

35.7 [16.3–61.3]

93.3 [70.2–98.8]

42.8 [24.5–63.5]

 

Mean WBC/%L (SD)

48a/96a (46)/(5.1)

1.4b (0.6)

49.4c (64.9)

   

Median WBC/%L (min–max)

31a/100a (5–173)/(87–100)

1.2b (0.5–2.9)

27c (8–163)

   

P. vivax infection

 Goyal [23]

70/NA

0.5

NA

NA

Diffuse periventricular, deep and subcortical WM hypersignal

 

 Sidhu [24]

NA

NA

NA

NA

Subcortical, cortical, left parietal periventricular regions and pons hypersignal

 

 Kochar [25]

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

 

 Kasundra [26]

10/100

0.65

NA

NA

T1-weighted isointense and T2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery high signal in bilateral cerebellar hemispheres including vermis

 

Mixed infection

 Koibuchi [27]

30/NA

0.46

52

NA

Asymmetric spotty mottled cortical and subcortical lesions

 

 Mani [28]

NA

 

NA

NA

Multifocal confluent areas of demyelination in the corpus callosum and periventricular region, myelitis

 
  1. Meningitis is defined in the CSF by CSF WBC ≥ 5/mL. CSF Protein ≥ 0.5 g/L is considered abnormal. CRP normal value ≤ 5 mg/L
  2. CSF cerebrospinal fluid, WBC white blood count, %L proportion of lymphocytes, CRP c-reactive protein, WM white matter, NA not available, N normal, ADEM acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, AIE autoimmune encephalitis, LP lumbar puncture, SD standard deviation, [95% CI] 95% confidence interval
  3. aCalculated on abnormal and available figured data, n = 17
  4. bCalculated on abnormal and available figured data, n = 20
  5. cCalculated on abnormal and available figured data, n = 5