P. falciparum Malaria induced Renal impairment
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College, Rohini, Delhi- 110085, India, Aich Tarkeswar 
Published: September 2021

Introduction: The involvement of the kidney in falciparum malaria has been known for decades. In 1944, Spitz observed acute renal failure due to falciparum infection in soldiers during World War II. This observation was later supported by other workers who detected oliguria developing in patients with black water fever. The initial clinical pattern is that of reversible renal dysfunction or pre-renal azotemia, which rapidly progresses to acute tubular necrosis if treatment is not started early. Patients with malaria induced renal failure are hypercatabolic with blood urea and serum creatinine levels rising rapidly.Oliguric as well non-oliguric renal failure are observed and duration of oliguric renal failure ranges from a few days to several weeks depending on the severity of renal dysfunction. Acute renal failure in falciparum malaria is usually associated either with acute intravascular haemolysis or heavy parasitemia. Acute renal failure in falciparum malaria is also observed in patients with severe intravascular haemolysis resulting in haemoglobinuria. It may be induced by malarial fever or by anti-malarial drugs in a patient with or without G6-PD deficiency. Materials and Methods: This is a hospital based cross sectional study carried out in a total of 50 cases of acute renal failure who were selected from diagnosed patients of P. falciparum malaria. Cases were confirmed either by P. falciparum antigen test and/or peripheral blood smear test(both thick and thin smear).Malarial ARF (MARF) is diagnosed when serum creatinine level > 3 mg/dl, and/or urine output < 400 ml/24hrs despite adequate rehydration. Result: Out of 174 cases of falciparum malaria 50 patients (28.7%) had acute renal failure in falciparum malaria. 36 (72%) cases were males and 14 (28%) were females, indicating a much higher incidence in males. Approximately 78% of the cases in the present study were below the age of 40 years. The youngest was 15 years old and the oldest was 61 years old (Mean age – 32 ± 11.6 years). All were febrile (100%) and a majority had oliguria or anuria (72%); jaundice was detected in 30 (60%) patients on presentation. Hepatomegaly & Splenomegaly were found in 76% & 66% of the cases respectively. Out of the total 50 cases of malaria induced ARF, 14 cases (28%) had pre-renal ARF while in the majority, 72% the clinical course was that of ATN. The pathogenesis of ATN in the 36 cases was found to be heavy parasitaemia in 40% of the cases, IV hemolysis with haemoglobinuria in 3 (6%) of cases; and cholestatic jaundice in 26% of falciparum patients. Examination of the urinary sediments revealed that albumin was present in urine in 40 cases (80%). Majority of the patients had significant rise in blood urea level with a mean value of 177 mg. S. creatinine levels ranged between 3.2 - 13.6 mg with a mean value of 7.83 mg. The mean creatinine clearance rate was 11.71 ml/min. The overall mortality rate was 26%. Conclusion: AKI is common in Falciparum malaria. The pathogenesis of AKI is largely unknown but may be related to the erythrocyte sequestration and agglutination within the renal microcirculation interfering with flow and metabolism. Clinically and pathologically, this syndrome manifests as Pre-renal azotemia and acute tubular necrosis. Acute renal failure may occur simultaneously with other vital-organ dysfunction (in which case the mortality risk is high) or may progress as other disease manifestations resolve. Early dialysis or hemofiltration considerably enhances the likelihood of a patient’s survival, particularly in acute hypercatabolic renal failure. Severity of oliguria and presence of one or more associated complications like pulmonary oedema, acidosis, and altered sensorium have considerable influence on the outcome of the patients.