The Relationship between Age and the Manifestations of and Mortality Associated with Severe Malaria

TLDR: Presenting syndromes in severe malaria depend on age, although the incidence and the strong prognostic significance of coma and acidosis are similar at all ages, suggesting age is an independent risk factor for a fatal outcome of the disease.

Abstract: P ! .001 decreased risk of death among children (adjusted odds ratio, 0.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.01–0.23; ) P ! .001 and the increased risk of death among patients aged 150 years (adjusted odds ratio, 1.88; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–3.52; ) was independent of the variation in presenting manifestations. The incidence of anemia and P p .046 convulsions decreased with age, whereas the incidence of hyperparasitemia, jaundice, and renal insufficiency increased with age. Coma and metabolic acidosis did not vary with age and were the strongest predictors of a fatal outcome. The number of severity signs at hospital admission also had a strong prognostic value. Conclusion. Presenting syndromes in severe malaria depend on age, although the incidence and the strong prognostic significance of coma and acidosis are similar at all ages. Age is an independent risk factor for a fatal outcome of the disease.