Objectives: To assess the relationship of retinopathy with Glasgow coma Scoring in cerebral malaria.

Design: Prospective, observational, cohort study. Cohort study comprising of all malaria positive patients.

Setting: Study was carried out in Department of Paediatrics, S.S.M.C and associated G.M. Hospital Rewa, Madhya Pradesh during the period of 1^st August 2015 to 31^st July 2016.

Participants: 100 consecutive patients with cerebral malaria evaluated by ophthalmologist for changes of retinopathy were included in the study. All 100 cases were malaria positive.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Results:  Retinopathy was present in 41% of children in cerebral malaria (malaria positive with encephalopathy). In Cerebral malaria on the basis of GCS we found that 79% patients with Glasgow score less than or equal to 6 had retinopathy, while only 35% who had Glasgow score more than 6 had retinopathy.

Conclusions: A positive association of patients having Glasgow coma scoreless or equal to 6 had proportionally high incidence of retinopathy. This shows that the incidence of retinopathy increases as the Glasgow coma score decreases and retinopathy is significantly associated with low GCS. Retinopathy and low GCS together in turn is related to high mortality in cerebral malaria.

Keywords: Cerebral Malaria, Retinopathy, GCS.

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Dr Puneet Agrawal

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