Preventing epilepsy in malaria survivors.

摘要

Nearly one-third of cerebral malaria survivors develop epilepsy or other neurological conditions soon after recovery. A new study has demonstrated that improved seizure control and management of aggressive fever caused by malaria could provide the key to decreasing the risk of developing epilepsy. "A prospective study was needed to identify potential opportunities for interventions that might prevent epilepsy," explains lead investigator Gretchen Birbeck. To determine whether the seizures and fevers experienced by patients with malaria represent risk factors for epilepsy in later life, the Blantyre Malaria Project Epilepsy Study monitored 132 Malawian children who were recovering from retinopathy-positive cerebral malaria-along with 264 unaffected children-for 495 days. Individuals with a pre-existing propensity towards seizures were excluded from the cohort.