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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Initial clinical assessment of the comatose patient: Cerebral malaria vs. meningitis
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, Volume 12, No. 1, Year 1993
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Description
One hundred twenty-one Liberian children were admitted in coma to the ELWA Hospital, Monrovia, Liberia. Admitting diagnoses, before lumbar puncture, were compared with discharge diagnoses. Ninety-four children were discharged with a final diagnosis of cerebral malaria and 27 with a diagnosis of meningitis. The admitting diagnosis was correct in 76.6% (72 of 94) of patients with cerebral malaria and 59.3% (16 of 27) of patients with meningitis. The cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte count was the single most significant factor in determining the correct diagnosis. Without the cerebrospinal fluid analysis, the discriminant accuracy (77%), i.e. definitive separation of the two illnesses, was comparable to the physician’s admission diagnosis (73%). Other data contributing to the differential diagnosis of cerebral malaria and meningitis included the number of days of fever before admission, the presence or absence of nuchal rigidity, fontanelle fullness and peripheral blood malaria smear. Mortality rates for cerebral malaria and meningitis were 14.9 and 29.6%, respectively. These data suggest that physicians cannot reliably discriminate between cerebral malaria and meningitis without cerebrospinal fluid analysis. © 1993 by Williams and Wilkins.
Authors & Co-Authors
Wright, Paul W.
United States, Tyler
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Avery, Wilbur G.
United States, Tyler
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Ardill, W. D.
United States, Dallas
Va North Texas Health Care System
Nigeria, Monrovia
Elwa Hospital
McLarty, J. W.
United States, Tyler
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Statistics
Citations: 49
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1097/00006454-199301000-00010
ISSN:
08913668
e-ISSN:
15320987
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Study Locations
Liberia