Determinants of a fatal outcome in severe malaria in children at the teaching hospital HKM of Cotonou-BENIN

Abstract

Introduction : Malaria particularly affects children in sub-Saharan countries. The purpose of this study was to study the factors associated with death in severe childhood malaria in order to better understand the determinants of the death of these children. Patients and Methods : This was a prospective, descriptive and analytical study conducted from 1 April to 15 August 2015 at the CNHU-HKM pediatric clinic in Cotonou. Recruitment was exhaustive for all patients under the age of 15, admitted for severe malaria confirmed by a thick gout. Results : Of 1774 patients admitted, 449 had severe malaria at a hospital frequency of 25.31%. The most affected age group was children under 60 months (73%), with a female predominance. The malaria case fatality rate was 13.1% (n = 59). The factors determining the occurrence of death were coma (p = 0.032), poor convulsive condition (p = 0.08) and bacterial coinfection (p = 0.021). Conclusion : The reduction of malaria mortality in hospitals in Benin will depend on correct management of poor prognostic factors such as coma, bacterial co-infection, and convulsive illness.