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Malarial Hepatopathy in Children Visiting a Tertiary Healthcare Hospital in Karachi

Nathumal Maheshwari1, Mehmood Shaikh2, Rewa Chand3

  • 1Pediatrics, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College, Karachi, PAK.

Cureus
|February 28, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Malarial hepatopathy affects approximately 15.4% of pediatric malaria cases in Karachi. This liver complication is more prevalent in younger children, specifically those aged two months to five years.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Hepatology
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Malaria is a significant public health concern in Pakistan.
  • Malarial hepatopathy, a liver complication of malaria, requires further investigation in pediatric populations.
  • Lyari General Hospital serves a diverse pediatric population in Karachi.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To ascertain the incidence of malarial hepatopathy in children diagnosed with malaria.
  • To identify risk factors associated with malarial hepatopathy in pediatric patients.
  • To compare the frequency of malarial hepatopathy between Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum infections.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted.
  • Included were 241 children aged two months to 15 years with confirmed Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax infection.
  • Patients were monitored for clinical and biochemical signs of malarial hepatopathy.

Main Results:

  • Malarial hepatopathy was diagnosed in 37 out of 241 (15.4%) children.
  • The prevalence was higher in Plasmodium falciparum infections (24.1%) compared to Plasmodium vivax (8.3%).
  • Children aged two months to five years exhibited the highest frequency (24%) of malarial hepatopathy.

Conclusions:

  • Malarial hepatopathy is a notable complication in pediatric malaria cases in Karachi.
  • Younger children (two months to five years) are at a higher risk.
  • Further research into management strategies for malarial hepatopathy in children is warranted.

Keywords:
malarial hepatopathyplasmodium falciparumplasmodium vivax

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