Temporal changes in haematocrit following artemisinin-based combination treatments of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in children

Table 2 Clinical, parasitological and other characteristics of patients in different major temporal patterns

	^aPattern 1	^bPattern 2	^cPattern 6	ALL	^eP value
Number (%)	123 (49.6)	48 (19.4)	57 (23)	228 (92)
Gender
M/F	66/57	21/27	33/24	120/108	0.33
Age (year)
Mean (sd)	7.3 (3.6)	5.6 (2.7)	5.3 (2.7)	6.5 (3.3)	< 0.0001
Range	0.7–14	2–10	1.2–12.5	0.7–14
Duration of illness (days)
Mean (sd)	2.5 (1.1)	2.8 (1)	3.2 (1.3)	2.7 (1.2)	< 0.0001
Range	1–7	1–5	1–7	1–7
Weight (kg)
Mean (sd)	20.2 (7.5)	16.7 (5.3)	16.0 (4.3)	18.4 (6.7)	0.009
Range	7–40	9–31	7–26	7–40
Haematocrit (%)
Mean (sd)	34.7 (2.7)	32.4 (2.8)	26.4 (2.6)	32.3 (4.4)	< 0.0001
Range	30–42	30–38	18–29	18–42
Temperature (°C)
Mean (sd)	38.4 (1.1)	38.6 (1)	38.4 (1.2)	38.4 (1.1)	0.60
Range	35–40.9	35–40.1	35.9–40.5	35–40.9
No. with temp.
i. >37.4 °C (%)	97 (79)	42 (88)	43 (75)	182 (80)	0.28
ii. >40.0 °C (%)	8 (7)	1 (2)	14 (25)	23 (10)	< 0.0001
Parasitaemia (μL⁻¹)
Geometric Mean	52,037	59,361	64,514	56,468	0.37
Range	2,000-459,000	8,000-1,080,200	2,094-346,153	2,000-1,080,200
No. with ≥100,000 μL⁻¹(%)	34 (27.6)	11 (22.9)	18 (31.6)	63 (27.6)	^d0.61

^aHaematocrit ≥ 30 % before and following treatment
^bHaematocrit ≥ 30 % before treatment, two consecutive haematocrit < 30 % within 14 days of treatment, followed by a rise to ≥ 30 % [Early monophasic fall]
^cHaematocrit < 30 % before treatment, followed by a rise to ≥ 30 % after treatment [malaria-associated anaemia at presentation and recovery from anaemia]
^dChi-square test
^eP values quoted are for comparison across all three groups

ISSN: 1471-2334