Studies on coagulation and fibrinolysis in cases of Falciparum malaria

Coagulation and fibrinolytic studies were conducted in 18 cases of severe falciparum malaria including cases with parasitaemia above 5% and with pernicious manifestations such as coma, jaundice, anuria, pulmonary oedema, bleeding tendency, etc., irrespective of parasitaemia. Marked changes in blood coagulograms and high levels of serum fibrin degradation products appeared only in cases with very severe cerebral involvement and also in cases with very high parasitaemia alone. These investigations indicated that intravascular coagulation occurs only in patients suffering from falciparum malaira who develop cerebral manifestations and in cases with high parasitaemia.