Coagulation profile in Nigerian children with cerebral malaria

Abstract

To determine the screening coagulation tests - PT, PTT(k), TCT, fibrinogen and absolute platelet counts. There were 97 children with 35 cerebral malaria (CM) and two control groups 30 acute malaria (AM) and 32 healthy controls aged 6 months--11 years. This is the first documented report of coagulation profile in Nigerian children above 6 months. The means of the PT in the three groups were normal. There was no significant difference between the means of PTT(k) and fibrinogen, p values 0.51 and 0.20 respectively. Nine of the CM group had deranged PT while eleven had elevated PTT(k). Four of the thrombocytopaenic CM patients were hypercoagulable. Three CM patients had bleeding episodes without laboratory evidences of DIC. Thrombocytopaenia occurred in 46% of the CM group compared with 23% of the AM. The role of hypercoagulable state observed amongst the thrombocytopaenic CM group could not be determined. We suggest close monitoring of platelet count and coagulation profile in those with haemorrhagic complications.