A STUDY OF HS-CRP AS A MARKER OF CLINICAL SEVERITY AND OUTCOME IN COMPLICATED AND UNCOMPLICATED PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA

Background: Malaria is the most important of the parasitic disease of humans, with transmission in 106 countries containing three billion people and causing one million deaths each year.Recently some acute phase reactants have emerged as biomarkers in malaria infection in addition to chemokines and cytokines. In particular high Sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has been identified as important inflammatory biomarkers.

Methods: The present study included 100 untreated falciparum malaria patients attending Department of Medicine at M.B.G.H, Udaipur (Raj.), with symptoms of fever, rigor, and vomiting who tested positive for falciparum malaria by slide microscopy and/or MP QBC test was enrolled in this study. Venous blood sampling from eligible candidates was taken and their hs-CRP was analyzed with the help of immunoturbidimetric assay.

Results: Mean age of patients was 54.35 years, while male to female ratio for uncomplicated, complicated and healthy controls were 2.1:1, 1.2:1 and 1.5:1 respectively.Results showed significantly higher level of hs-CRPin patients who had complications and also in patients who died, compared to uncomplicated patients and patients who discharged. [P value<0.001(HS)].

Conclusions:In this prospective case control study, we found that hs-CRP at presentation correlate significantly with morbidity and mortality in falciparum malaria. Thus hs- CRP can be considered a new, cost-effective, and reliable tool in assessment of prognosis in falciparum malaria.