Renal dysfunction in children with uncomplicated, Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Tamale, Ghana

• Published in: Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology Vol. 97; no. 4; pp. 345 - 350
• Main Authors: Burchard, G. D., Ehrhardt, S., Mockenhaupt, F. P., Mathieu, A., Agana-Nsiire, P., Anemana, S. D., Otchwemah, R. N., Abel, W., Brattig, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Taylor & Francis 01.06.2003; Maney Publishing
• Subjects: Acute Kidney Injury - complications; Acute Kidney Injury - physiopathology; Albuminuria - complications; Albuminuria - physiopathology; Alpha-Globulins - urine; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Cystatin C; Cystatins - blood; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors - blood; Female; Ghana; Glomerular Filtration Rate - physiology; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - urine; Infectious diseases; Kidney Tubules - physiopathology; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum - complications; Malaria, Falciparum - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Parasitic diseases; Protease Inhibitors - urine; Protozoal diseases; Tropical medicine; Ghana; Africa; Human; Kidney disease; Protozoa; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Urinary system disease; Renal function; Malaria; Parasitosis; Infection; Plasmodium falciparum; Nephropathy; Complication; Child
• ISSN: 0003-4983; 1364-8594
• DOI: 10.1179/000349803235002281

In a study performed in Tamale, in the Northern region of Ghana, cystatin C, a new and sensitive indicator of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), was used to estimate the frequency of renal dysfunction in 78 children with uncomplicated, Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The excretion in urine of albumin, immunoglobulin G and α1-microglobulin was also investigated. Plasma concentrations of cystatin C were found to be elevated in 17% of the children, indicating subclinical impairment of renal function. As most (85%) of the children had glomerular as well as tubular patterns of proteinuria, it appears that both glomerulonephritis and damage to tubular cells often occur in P. falciparum malaria.