Severe falciparum malaria: an important cause of multiple organ failure in Indian intensive care unit patients

Abstract

Objective: To study the incidence and severity of multiple organ dysfunction in severe falciparum malaria.

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Setting: Intensive care unit of a tertiary care university hospital.

Patients: Three hundred one consecutive patients with severe falciparum malaria admitted during the 30-month study period.

Interventions: Daily assessment of clinical and biochemical variables required for calculating the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score.

Measurements and main results: Central nervous system failure was present in 121 patients (53 deaths). Renal failure occurred in 91 patients (48 deaths), and 33 required dialysis. Severe thrombocytopenia occurred in 114 patients (seven required platelet transfusion), and 19 patients had thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation; all required component therapy; 229 patients received blood transfusion for severe hemolytic anemia. Hepatic failure occurred in 77 patients (38 deaths). Respiratory failure developed in 79 patients and carried the worst outcome (70 deaths). It occurred later in the course of the illness (mean, 3.1 days; p <.001) compared with cerebral, renal, and coagulation failure (mean, 1.3-2.3 days). Regardless of the organ system involved, only 11 of 172 patients with one or no organ failure died (6.8%), whereas mortality rate increased to 48.8% in 129 patients with multiple organ failure. Other abnormalities associated with poor outcome included seizures in 54 patients (56% mortality rate), metabolic acidosis in 167 (40% mortality rate), hypoglycemia in 88 (39% mortality rate), and hemoglobinuria in 190 (33% mortality rate). Sixty patients had quinine toxicity requiring dosage reduction. Bacterial sepsis occurred in 39 patients (35 deaths) and accounted for 85% of deaths occurring after day 7. Twenty-three pregnant women had no significant difference in outcomes. Overall mortality rate was 24.6% (301 patients, 74 deaths).

Conclusions: Malaria is an important cause of multiple organ failure in India. Mortality rate is 6.4% when one or fewer organs fail but increases to 48.8% with failure of two or more organs. However, outcomes are better than for similar degrees of organ failure in sepsis.