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Table 2 Diagnostic characteristics of clinical findings for PCR-confirmed P. falciparum infection

From: Clinical characteristics of Plasmodium falciparum infection among symptomatic patients presenting to a major urban military hospital in Cameroon

 

Children < 15 years old (n = 98)

Adults ≥ 15 years old (n = 400)

 

n

Sensitivity

Specificity

Positive LR

Negative LR

n

Sensitivity

Specificity

Positive LR

Negative LR

Epidemiological history

Sex

98

         

 Female

 

.560

.479

1.08

.92

400

.404

.443

.73

1.34

District of residence

94

    

385

    

 Douala I

 

.213

.574

.50

1.37

 

.168

.685

.53

1.21

 Douala II

 

.191

.915

2.25

.88

 

.130

.913

.91

.95

 Douala III

 

.383

.766

1.64

.81

 

.298

.697

.98

1.01

 Douala IV

 

.021

.957

.50

1.02

 

.038

.925

.51

1.04

 Douala V

 

.128

.809

.68

1.08

 

.252

.815

1.36

.92

 Douala VI

 

.043

1.000

1.00

.96

 

.031

.988

2.59

.98

 Outside Douala

 

.021

.979

 

1.00

 

.084

.976

3.56

.94

Travel

98

    

397

    

 Anywhere

 

.160

.792

.77

1.06

 

.343

.707

1.17

.93

 Northern Regions

 

.040

1.000

***

.96

 

.030

.992

3.93

.98

Medication use

     

398

    

 Antipyretic

98

.580

.667

1.74

.63

 

.415

.620

1.09

.94

 Antimalarial

98

.280

.854

1.92

.84

 

.193

.852

1.30

.95

 Traditional remedy

97

.061

.917

.74

1.02

 

.156

.919

1.91

.92

Clinical history

Fever at presentation

90

    

393

    

 ≥ 37.5 °C

 

.787

.326

1.17

.65

 

.641

.355

.99

1.01

 ≥ 40.0 °C

 

.149

.953

3.20

.89

 

.053

.989

4.67

.96

Fatigue

98

    

400

    

 Any severity

 

.940

.125

1.07

.48

 

.926

.072

1.00

1.02

 Moderate-Severe

 

.740

.479

1.42

.54

 

.610

.538

1.32

.72

Headache

90

    

399

    

 Any severity

 

.812

.217

1.04

.86

 

.837

.186

1.03

.88

 Moderate-Severe

 

.489

.867

3.67

.59

 

.452

.712

1.57

.77

Myalgias/Arthralgias

96

    

399

    

 Any severity

 

.540

.652

1.55

.71

 

.800

.231

1.04

.87

 Moderate-Severe

 

.240

.891

2.21

.85

 

.526

.610

1.35

.78

Anorexia

98

    

398

    

 Any severity

 

.840

.417

1.44

.38

 

.662

.424

1.15

.80

 Moderate-Severe

 

.600

.688

1.92

.58

 

.360

.802

1.82

.80

Chills

98

    

398

    

 Any severity

 

.660

.525

1.76

.54

 

.596

.496

1.18

.82

 Moderate-Severe

 

.400

.833

2.40

.72

 

.375

.798

1.86

.78

Abdominal pain

95

    

397

    

 Any severity

 

.633

.478

1.21

.77

 

.511

.706

1.74

.69

 Moderate-Severe

 

.408

.848

2.68

.70

 

.259

.878

2.12

.84

Dizzy/Lightheaded

94

    

399

    

 Any severity

 

.479

.783

2.20

.67

 

.422

.674

1.30

.86

 Moderate-Severe

 

.354

.870

2.72

.74

 

.178

.848

1.17

.97

Nausea

94

    

396

    

 Any severity

 

.490

.733

1.84

.70

 

.368

.781

1.68

.81

 Moderate-Severe

 

.449

.911

5.05

.60

 

.206

.889

1.86

.89

Constipation

96

    

398

    

 Any severity

 

.306

.830

1.80

.84

 

.200

.741

.774

1.08

 Moderate-Severe

 

.143

.894

1.34

.96

 

.104

.909

1.14

.99

Emesis

88

         

 Any frequency

 

.386

.818

2.13

.75

381

.161

.922

2.07

.91

 ≥ 2 times/day

 

.250

.977

11.00

.77

 

.089

.996

22.80

.91

Dyspnea

95

    

398

    

 Any severity

 

.125

.936

1.96

.93

 

.215

.886

1.88

.89

 Moderate-Severe

 

.104

.957

2.45

.94

 

.111

.935

1.70

.95

Diarrhoea

96

    

385

    

 Any frequency

 

.104

.958

2.50

.93

 

.055

.969

1.76

.98

 ≥ 2 times/day

 

.042

1.000

*** (2)

.96

 

.023

.098

1.51

.99

Bleeding/Haemorrhage

97

    

393

    

 Any severity

 

.061

.958

1.47

.98

 

.038

.98

1.61

.99

 Moderate-Severe

 

.020

1.000

*** (1)

.98

 

.000

.992

1.96

.99

Cutaneous eruptions

97

    

399

    

 Any severity

 

.000

.915

.000

1.09

 

.044

.981

2.35

.97

 Moderate-Severe

 

.000

.957

.000

1.04

 

.015

.992

1.96

.99

Point of care testing

RDT

98

    

397

    

 Any positive

 

.800

.958

19.20

0.21

 

.585

.981

30.66

.42

HRP-2 positive

 

.360

.979

17.28

0.65

 

.274

.981

14.36

.74

 Both HRP-2/LDH positive

 

.440

.979

21.12

0.57

 

.296

1.00

*** (40)

.70

Anaemia

98

    

399

    

 Any severity

 

.700

.646

1.98

.56

 

.338

.654

.98

1.01

 Moderate-Severe

 

.540

.833

3.24

.55

 

.169

.814

.91

1.02

 Severe

 

.180

.958

4.32

.86

 

.029

.958

.70

1.01

  1. LR: likelihood ratio. Clinically significant likelihood ratios bolded
  2. ***Indicated LR could not be calculated as all the patients (number listed in parentheses) with the symptom/sign were found to be P. falciparum positive
  3. Northern regions include Adamaoua, North, and Far-North