Table 1 Patient characteristics and risk factor analyses (n = 209)

Demographics

Age, mean years (standard deviation (SD))

5.3 (2.3)

4.2 (1.8)

4.1 (2.1)

0.010

0.76 (0.66–0.88)

p = 0.000

0.72 (0.62–0.84)

p = 0.000

 Gender, n (%)

Male

40 (53.3)

77 (57.5)

117 (56.0)

0.56

1.18 (0.67–2.09)

p = 0.56

History and clinical features at admission

Admission temperature, °C, n (%)

0.002

Hypothermic, < 36.0

6 (8.0)

2 (1.5)

8 (3.8)

0.35 (0.06–2.02)

p = 0.24

0.23 (0.04–1.39)

p = 0.11

 Normal, 36.0–37.0

17 (22.7)

16 (11.9)

33 (15.8)

–

–

 Febrile, > 37.0, < 38.5

28 (37.3)

42 (31.3)

70 (33.4)

1.59 (0.69–3.67)

p = 0.27

1.83 (0.75–4.50)

p = 0.18

 Hyperpyrexia, ≥ 38.5

 24 (32.0)

 74 (55.2)

 98 (46.9)

3.28 (1.44–7.46)

p = 0.005

3.36 (1.39–8.12)

p = 0.007

Admission diagnosis, n (%)

0.31

 CNS malaria

34 (45.3)

51 (38.1)

85 (40.7)

–

 Cerebral malaria

41 (54.7)

83 (61.9)

124 (59.3)

1.35 (0.76–2.39)

p = 0.31

Developmental delay before illness, n (%)

4 (5.3)

7 (5.2)

11 (5.3)

0.97

0.97 (0.28–3.46)

p = 0.97

Coma duration prior to admission, hrs¹, mean (SD)

N = 24

24.2 (18.5)

N = 73

22.1 (17.3)

N = 97

22.6 (17.6)

0.61

0.99 (0.97–1.02)

p = 0.61

History of seizures with this illness prior to enrolment, n (%)

0.21

 None

8 (10.7)

27 (20.2)

35 (16.8)

–

 Single and brief

9 (12.0)

15 (11.2)

24 (11.5)

0.49 (0.16–1.55)

p = 0.23

0.35 (0.10–1.24)

p = 0.10

 Multiple or prolonged

58 (77.3)

92 (68.7)

150 (71.8)

0.47 (0.20–1.10)

p = 0.083

0.43 (0.17–1.12)

p = 0.084

Clinical retinopathy¹, n (%)

N = 24

10 (41.6)

N = 73

43 (58.9)

N = 97

53 (54.6)

0.14

1.97 (0.95–4.09)

p = 0.07

Antipyretics prior to enrolment, n (%)

66 (88.0)

118 (88.1)

184 (88.0)

0.99

1.01 (0.42–2.40)

p = 0.99

 Paracetamol as antipyretic, n (%)

N = 66

62 (93.9)

N = 118

112 (94.9)

N = 184

174 (94.5)

0.78

1.20 (0.33–4.43)

p = 0.78

Anticonvulsants prior to enrolment, n (%)

37 (49.3)

74 (55.2)

111 (53.1)

0.41

1.27 (0.72–2.23)

p = 0.41

Outcome, n (%)

N = 75

N = 134

N = 209

0.12

 Alive and well

70 (93.3)

112 (83.6)

182 (87.1)

 Alive with neurologic sequelae

2 (2.7)

13 (9.7)

15 (7.2)

 Died

3 (4.0)

9 (6.7)

12 (5.7)

Weight for Age, n (%)

N = 71

N = 133

N = 204

0.44

 Normal

51 (71.8)

99 (74.4)

150 (73.5)

–

 Underweight

17 (23.9)

24 (18.1)

41 (20.1)

0.73 (0.36–1.47)

p = 0.38

 Severely underweight

3 (4.2)

10 (7.5)

13 (6.4)

1.72 (0.45–6.52)

p = 0.43

Height for Age, n (%)

N = 54

N = 118

N = 172

0.65

 Normal

44 (81.5)

90 (76.3)

134 (77.9)

–

 Stunted

7 (13.0)

22 (18.6)

29 (16.9)

1.54 (0.61–3.87)

p = 0.36

 Severely stunted

3 (5.6)

6 (5.1)

9 (5.2)

0.98 (0.23–4.09)

p = 0.98

Weight for length, n (%)

N = 26

N = 90

N = 116

0.13

 Normal

25 (96.2)

72 (80.0)

97 (83.6)

–

 Wasting

1 (3.9)

11 (12.2)

12 (10.3)

2.70 (0.46–15.68)

p = 0.27

 Severe wasting

0 (0.0)

7 (7.8)

7 (6.0)

5.26 (0.29–95.70)

p = 0.26

Laboratory findings at admission

qPC

N = 74

620

N = 125

440

N = 199

480

Range 0–2,806,000

p = 0.49

0.97 (0.89–1.06)

p = 0.49

HRP2

N = 54

97

N = 88

183

N = 199

165

Range 0.2²–3305

p = 0.30

1.11 (0.91–1.36)

p = 0.29

Bilirubin on admission, mg/dL, mean (SD)

0.77 (0.74)

0.77 (0.70)

0.77 (0.72)

0.96

0.99 (0.67–1.47)

p = 0.96

Lactate on admission, mmol/l, mean (SD)

5.1 (4.1)

4.7 (4.9)

4.8 (4.8)

0.45

0.98 (0.92–1.03)

p = 0.48

PCV on admission, mean (SD)

28.4 (6.0)

N = 133

27.7 (7.4)

N = 208

27.97 (6.9)

0.48

0.99 (0.94–1.03)

p = 0.48

HIV status, n (%)

N = 71

N = 132

N = 203

0.66

 Positive

3 (4.2)

4 (3.0)

7 (3.5)

0.71 (0.15–3.26)

p = 0.66

Admission glucose, n (%)

0.50

 Hypoglycaemia

4 (5.3)

4 (3.0)

8 (3.8)

0.51 (0.12–2.11)

p = 0.35

 Normal

48 (64.0)

95 (70.9)

143 (68.4)

–

 Hyperglycaemia

23 (30.7)

35 (26.1)

58 (27.8)

0.77 (0.41–1.44)

p = 0.41