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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study population

From: Human immunodeficiency virus infection and cerebral malaria in children in Uganda: a case-control study

a. Characteristics of all children and their

Cerebral malaria

Uncomplicated malaria

No malaria

care takers

n = 100

n = 132

n = 120

Variable

N (%)

N (%)

N (%)

Child factors

   

Age (Months)

   

≤59

81 (81)

90 (68.2)

76 (63.3)

>59

19 (19)

42 (31.8)

44 (36.7)

Sex M:F

01:00.7

01:00.7

01:00.7

Median duration of fever in days (IQR)

3 (2-4)

2 (1-4)

-

Use of mosquito net

   

Yes

54 (54)

86 (65.2)

63 (52.5)

No

46 (46)

46 (34.8)

57 (47.5)

Immunization status

   

Fully/up-to-date

73 (73)

102 (77.3)

105 (87.5)

Partial/uncertain

27 (27)

30 (22.7)

15 (12.5)

Pre-hospital treatment

   

Yes

82 (82)

76 (57.6)

-

No

18 (18)

56 (42.4)

 

Median parasite density (IQR)

23480 (1660-145960)

21680 (7350-54300)

 

HIV status

   

Positive

9 (9)

3 (2.3)

3 (2.5)

Negative

91 (91)

129 (97.7)

117 (97.5)

Caretaker factors

   

Age of caretaker (in years)

   

≤30

70 (70.0)

103 (78.0)

63 (52.5)

>30

30 (30.0)

29 (22.0)

57 (47.5)

Antimalarial medicines kept at home

   

Yes

28 (28)

36 (27.3)

25 (20.8)

No

72 (72)

96 (72.7)

95 (79.2)

Caretaker's preferred first option

   

H/U

25 (25)

44 (33.3)

93 (77.5)

Other2

75 (75)

88 (66.7)

27 (22.5)

Number of children <5y in the household

   

≤3

83 (83)

124 (93.9)

79 (84.9)

>3

17 (17)

8 (6.1)

14 (15.1)

b. Characteristics of cerebral malaria patients by HIV status

HIV+ (n = 9)

HIV- (n = 91)

P-value

 

n (%)

n = (%)

OR (95% CI)

Age

   

≤59 Mo

7 (77.8)

74 (81.3)

 

>59 Mo

2 (22.2)

17 (18.7)

 

Duration of fever (days)

   

≤3

5 (55.6)

59 (35.2)

0.58

>3†

4 (44.4)

32 (64.8)

1.48 (0.27-7.37)

Median number of convulsions (IQR)

3 (2-3)

2 (1-5)

 

Pre-hospital treatment

   

Yes†

6 (66.7)

76 (83.5)

<0.001

No

3 (33.3)

15 (16.5)

3.36 (1.81-6.21)

Median parasite density (IQR)

240,000 (3080-583520)

21,440 (1600-133080)

 

Parasite density/μl

   

>500,000†

2 (22.2)

2 (2.19)

0.003

≤500,000

7 (77.8)

89 (97.8)

12.71 (1.56-104.41)

  1. n = number of children, IQR = Inter-quartile range, 1 skilled laborers, 2 tepid sponging/self-medication/herbs, H/U = health unit, † reference group
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BMC Pediatrics

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