Electrocardiographic features in children with severe falciparum malaria at the University College Hospital, Ibadan

• Published in: Research journal of health sciences Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 198 - 206
• Main Authors: Akinkunmi, B F, Ogunkunle, O O, Akinbami, F O, Orimadegun, A E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nigeria 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Severe malaria; sinus tachycardia; electrocardiography
• ISSN: 2360-7793; 2467-8252; 2467-8252
• DOI: 10.4314/rejhs.v10i3.4

The high burden of Malaria morbidity and mortality in children is due to its potential to cause multi-organ dysfunction. There is however limited information on the specific electrocardiographic features in falciparum malaria in paediatric age group. To investigate the electrocardiographic (ECG) features in children with (complicated) severe malaria (SM) and acute uncomplicated malaria (AUM) at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. This was a comparative cross-sectional study conducted among 398 children with symptomatic and confirmed Plasmodium falciparum malaria and apparently healthy controls. The frequencies of ECG features were described and compared among these children. The prevalence of ECG abnormality was 79.7% and 63.2% in Severe Malaria SM and Acute uncomplicated malaria AUM patients, respectively. Sinus tachycardia was significantly more frequent in SM than AUM and control groups (p <0.001). The risk of an ECG abnormality was about three times higher in SM than healthy children (p<0.001; OR=2.89;95%CI[1.68,4.99). Severe malaria patients had significant ECG abnormalities (Sinus Tachycardia).