Electrocardiographic features in children with severe falciparum malaria at the University College Hospital, Ibadan

INTRODUCTION: The high burden of Malaria morbidity and mortality in children is due to its potential to cause multi-organ dysfunction. There is however limited information on the specific electrocardiographic features in falciparum malaria in paediatric age group. AIM: To investigate the electrocardiographic (ECG) features in children with (complicated) severe falciparum malaria (SM) and acute uncomplicated malaria (AUM) at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. METHODS: This was a comparative cross-sectional study conducted among 398 children with symptomatic and confirmed Plasmodium falciparum malaria and apparently healthy controls. The frequencies of ECG features were described and compared among these children. RESULTS: The prevalence of ECG abnormality was 79.7% and 63.2% in Severe Malaria SM and Acute uncomplicated malaria AUM patients, respectively. Sinus tachycardia was significantly more frequent in SM than AUM and control groups (p <0.001). The risk of an ECG abnormality was about three times higher in SM than healthy children (p<0.001; OR=2.89;95%CI[1.68,4.99). CONCLUSION: Severe malaria patients had significant ECG abnormalities (Sinus Tachycardia).