TY - JOUR
T1 - Platelet-activating factor metabolism in severe and cerebral malaria
AU - Davis, Timothy
AU - Binh, T.Q.
AU - Van Phuong, N.
AU - Sturm, M.
AU - St.john, A.
AU - Dyer, J.R.
AU - Anh, T.K.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - In order to examine the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in complicated Plasmodium falciparum infections, plasma concentrations of lyso-PAF, stable metabolite and principal precursor of PAF were measured in 25 Vietnamese adults with severe malaria. The concentration of PAF in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was determined in a sub-group of 23 comatose patients and together with that of lyso-PAF, in the plasma of 20 patients on recovery of consciousness. The concentration of lyso-PAF in the plasma was depressed on admission to hospital (median [range]; 21 [8-143] vs. 293 [215-410] ng/ml in 10 controls; P <0.001). There was, however, no change in plasma activity of acetylhydrolase which converts PAF to lyso-PAF (P <0.01 vs. controls) while simultaneous reduction in the concentration of lipoproteins associated with lyso-PAF were less than those of lyso-PAF per se in the plasma. The plasma concentration of lyso-PAF on admission was associated with parasitaemia and the concentration of serum triglycerides (r(s) = -0.42, P = 0.04 in each case), the latter being consistent with hepatic effects of PAP reported in previous studies. CSF concentrations of PAF on admission were low (2.3 [0.5-7.7] vs. 0.9 [0-2.5] ng/ml after recovery, P <0.01) compared with values reported previously in bacterial meningitis. Plasma concentrations of lyso-PAF after recovery lay between admission and control values. While increased availability of PAF may reflect parasite burden and may modulate liver-mediated metabolic disturbances such as hypoglycaemia and lactic acidosis, the role of PAF in cerebral malaria is uncertain.
AB - In order to examine the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in complicated Plasmodium falciparum infections, plasma concentrations of lyso-PAF, stable metabolite and principal precursor of PAF were measured in 25 Vietnamese adults with severe malaria. The concentration of PAF in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was determined in a sub-group of 23 comatose patients and together with that of lyso-PAF, in the plasma of 20 patients on recovery of consciousness. The concentration of lyso-PAF in the plasma was depressed on admission to hospital (median [range]; 21 [8-143] vs. 293 [215-410] ng/ml in 10 controls; P <0.001). There was, however, no change in plasma activity of acetylhydrolase which converts PAF to lyso-PAF (P <0.01 vs. controls) while simultaneous reduction in the concentration of lipoproteins associated with lyso-PAF were less than those of lyso-PAF per se in the plasma. The plasma concentration of lyso-PAF on admission was associated with parasitaemia and the concentration of serum triglycerides (r(s) = -0.42, P = 0.04 in each case), the latter being consistent with hepatic effects of PAP reported in previous studies. CSF concentrations of PAF on admission were low (2.3 [0.5-7.7] vs. 0.9 [0-2.5] ng/ml after recovery, P <0.01) compared with values reported previously in bacterial meningitis. Plasma concentrations of lyso-PAF after recovery lay between admission and control values. While increased availability of PAF may reflect parasite burden and may modulate liver-mediated metabolic disturbances such as hypoglycaemia and lactic acidosis, the role of PAF in cerebral malaria is uncertain.
U2 - 10.1016/S0163-4453(95)80024-7
DO - 10.1016/S0163-4453(95)80024-7
M3 - Article
VL - 31(3)
SP - 181
EP - 188
JO - Journal of Infection
JF - Journal of Infection
ER -