Myocardial dysfunction in severe falciparum malaria

Abstract

Severe malaria causes multiorgan dysfunction, which is the predominant reason for mortality in these children. Cardiac enzymes have been elevated and cardiac involvement has been suspected in some of these children, however, clear cut echocardiographic evidence for it was not possible. There were isolated reports of myocardial dysfunction in malaria in adults but none in children. We present two such children with cardiac involvement and myocardial dysfunction. © The Author [2009]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.