Protein energy malnutrition and cerebral malaria in Nigerian children

Eight (14 per cent) out of 57 consecutive cerebral malaria patients (all < 5 years old) were malnourished, including one with marasmus and another recovering from kwashiorkor. This was significantly lower than among other paediatric patients in the same children's emergency ward (112/319, i.e. 35 per cent, P < 0.01). Poor outcomes (death or recovery with neurological deficits) were commoner in the malnourished group (4/8) than the well nourished group (7/49) (P = 0.037, Fisher's exact test). Malnourished children should receive malaria chemoprophylaxis during nutritional rehabilitation.