Epilepsy as a Consequence of Cerebral Malaria in Area in Which Malaria Is Endemic in Mali, West Africa

Abstract

Summary: Purpose: Cerebral malaria (CM) is suspected to be a potential cause of epilepsy in tropical areas, but little information is available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of CM in epilepsy among children in Mali. Methods: An exposed–nonexposed study was performed to identify children who had epilepsy after malaria in the 0‐ to 15‐year age group. The exposure factor was CM defined according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and the nonexposure factor was symptomatic malaria without the characteristics of CM (NCM). All the children underwent a screening questionnaire and were examined by a medical physician. After the screening phase, a specialist in neuropediatrics examined the children suspected to have epilepsy. EEG and computed tomography (CT) scans were performed in some of these patients. Results: In total, 101 subjects who had had CM and 222 who had had NCM were included. Fifty‐four children (CM, 34; NCM, 20) were suspected to have epilepsy, and six were confirmed (CM, five; NCM, one). The incidence rate was 17.0 per 1000 person‐years in the CM group and 1.8 per 1000 person‐year in the NCM group; thus the relative risk (RR) was 9.4 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3–80.3; p = 0.02]. After adjustment on age and duration of follow‐up, the RR was 14.3 (95% CI, 1.6–132.0; p = 0.01). Conclusions: The risk of sequelar epilepsy is significantly higher in the CM group compared with the NCM group. A reevaluation of this cohort should be carried out later to search for temporal epilepsy that appeared after age 10 years.