Abongomera et al identified prognostic factors associated with mortality in a patient with visceral leishmaniasis. These were based on a meta-analysis of systematic literature review. The authors are from Medecins Sans Frontieres in Ethiopia and Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp.
Patient selection: visceral leishmaniasis
Prognostic factors:
(1) jaundice (OR 8.3)
(2) HIV (OR 4.6)
(3) tuberculosis (OR (4.1)
(4) age less than 5 years or greater than 45 years (OR 3.7)
(5) edema (OR 3.4)
(6) bleeding (OR 3.4)
(7) hemoglobin <= 6.5 g/dL (OR 3.3)
(8) severe malnutrition with BMI < 16 kg per sq m or weight for height Z score < -4 (OR 2.4)
(9) duration of illness >= 2 months (OR 1.8)
(10) splenomegaly >= 10 cm (OR 1.3)
where:
• The OR for age 15 to 45 years was 1.
• The OR for age 6 to 14 was 0.64.
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