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Table 1 Summary of WHO Defining Criteria for Severe Malaria

From: Adherence to severe malaria treatment guidelines in children at a Ugandan regional hospital: a baseline assessment for a malaria treatment quality improvement project

Confirmed Malaria Parasitemia + Any of the Following

Altered mental status

Prostration

More than two seizures in 24 h

Metabolic acidosis with a base deficit of > 8 mEq/L or plasma bicarbonate < 15 mmol/L

Plasma lactate ≥ 5 mmol/L

Respiratory distress

Blood or plasma glucose < 40 mg/dL

Haemoglobin ≤ 5 g/dL or haematocrit ≤ 15%,

Haemoglobinuria

Serum creatinine > 3 mg/dL or blood urea > 20 mmol/L

Plasma or serum bilirubin > 3 mg/dL

Clinical or radiographic evidence of pulmonary edema

Significant abnormal bleeding

Capillary refill ≥ 3 s or systolic blood pressure < 50 mmHg