Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a recognized complication of pediatric severe malaria, but its long-term consequences are unknown. Methods Ugandan children with cerebral malaria (CM, n = 260) and severe malaria anemia (SMA, n = 219) or community children (CC, n = 173) between 1.5 and 12 years of age were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria were used to retrospectively define AKI and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cognitive testing was conducted using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning in children < 5 and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) second edition in children ≥ 5 years of age. Results The prevalence of AKI was 35.1%, ranging from 25.1% in SMA to 43.5% in CM. In-hospital mortality was 11.9% in AKI compared to 4.2% in children without AKI ( p = 0.001), and post-discharge mortality was 4.7% in AKI compared to 1.3% in children without AKI ( p = 0.030) corresponding to an all-cause adjusted hazard ratio of 2.30 (95% CI 1.21, 4.35). AKI was a risk factor for short- and long-term neurocognitive impairment. At 1 week post-discharge, the frequency of neurocognitive impairment was 37.3% in AKI compared to 13.5% in children without AKI (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.31 [95% CI 1.32, 4.04]); at 1-year follow-up, it was 13.3% in AKI compared to 3.4% in children without AKI (aOR 2.48 [95% CI 1.01, 6.10]), and at 2-year follow-up, it was 13.0% in AKI compared to 3.4% in children without AKI (aOR 3.03 [95% CI 1.22, 7.58]). AKI was a risk factor for CKD at 1-year follow-up: 7.6% of children with severe malaria-associated AKI had CKD at follow-up compared to 2.8% of children without AKI ( p = 0.038) corresponding to an OR of 2.81 (95% CI 1.02, 7.73). The presenting etiology of AKI was consistent with prerenal azotemia, and lactate dehydrogenase as a marker of intravascular hemolysis was an independent risk factor for AKI in CM and SMA ( p < 0.0001). In CM, AKI was associated with the presence and severity of retinopathy ( p < 0.05) and increased cerebrospinal fluid albumin suggestive of blood-brain barrier disruption. Conclusions AKI is a risk factor for long-term neurocognitive impairment and CKD in pediatric severe malaria. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12916-019-1332-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The impact of delayed treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria on progression to severe malaria: A systematic review and a pooled multicentre individual-patient meta-analysis. PLoS Med 17(10): e1003359.

Objectives: Evaluate the relationship between endothelial activation, malaria complications, and long-term cognitive outcomes in severe malaria survivors.Design: Prospectively cohort study of children with cerebral malaria, severe malarial anemia, or community children.

Highlights d Human gut bacteria composition correlates with severity of malaria d Gut bacteria dynamically modulate spleen GC reactions to systemic infection d Modulating gut bacteria can halt escalating parasitemia d Antibiotic-induced changes in gut bacteria can boost anti-Plasmodium host immunity

Abstract Background Elevated concentrations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau, a marker of axonal injury, have been associated with coma in severe malaria (cerebral malaria [CM]). However, it is unknown whether axonal injury is related to long-term neurologic deficits and cognitive impairment in children with CM. Methods Admission CSF tau concentrations were measured in 145 Ugandan children with CM and compared to clinical and laboratory factors and acute and chronic neurologic and cognitive outcomes. Results Elevated CSF tau concentrations were associated with younger age, increased disease severity (lower glucose and hemoglobin concentrations, malaria retinopathy, acute kidney injury, and prolonged coma duration, all P &lt; .05), and an increased CSF:plasma albumin ratio, a marker of blood–brain barrier breakdown (P &lt; .001). Admission CSF tau concentrations were associated with the presence of neurologic deficits at hospital discharge, and at 6, 12, and 24 months postdischarge (all P ≤ .02). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, elevated log10-transformed CSF tau concentrations correlated with worse cognitive outcome z scores over 2-year follow-up for associative memory (β coefficient, –0.31 [95% confidence interval [CI], –.53 to –.10]) in children &lt;5 years of age, and for overall cognition (–0.69 [95% CI, –1.19 to –.21]), attention (–0.78 [95% CI, –1.34 to –.23]), and working memory (–1.0 [95% CI, –1.68 to –.31]) in children ≥5 years of age (all P &lt; .006). Conclusions Acute axonal injury in children with CM is associated with long-term neurologic deficits and cognitive impairment. CSF tau concentrations at the time of the CM episode may identify children at high risk of long-term neurocognitive impairment.