PERIPHERAL BLOOD PICTURE OF MALARIA IN PATIENTS PRESENTING TO A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, PESHAWAR

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of malarial infection on hemoglobin,total leukocyte count (TLC) and platelet count of patients coming to atertiary care hospital.METHODOLOGY: This descriptive hospital based study was conductedin the Department of Pathology, Postgraduate Medical Institute, HayabatabadMedical Complex Peshawar and Department of Medicine,Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar from July 2009 to January 2010.Total of 100 confirmed patients suffering from malaria were selectedthrough convenient non-probability sampling technique. Completeblood counts (CBC) were performed on automated hematology analyzerSysmex KX 21. Thick and thin films stained with Giemsa stain wereprepared to confirm malarial parasite. Statistical analysis was done byusing SPSS version 14.RESULTS: Out of 100 patients, 56% were males and 44% females.Mean age of the patients was 19.76+13.18 years and majority (39%)was in the age range of 1-10 years. Plasmodium vivax found in 54%and plasmodium falciparum in 46% of cases. Automated hematologyanalyzer results showed that mean total leukocyte count (TLC) was7170.40+3919.11/mm3 (minimum 700/mm3 & maximum 22800/mm3),mean hemoglobin was 9.18+3.03g/dl (minimum 2.80 g/dl & maximum16.40 g/dl) and mean platelet count was 143019+125497.83/mm3(minimum 4000/mm3 & maximum 670000/mm3). These results wereconfirmed manually. Anemia was recorded in 66% of cases, leukopeniain 15% cases, leukocytosis in 12% cases, thrombocytopenia in 68%cases and pancytopenia was observed in 9% cases.CONCLUSION: Thrombocytopenia was recorded in majority of thecases followed by anemia and leucopoenia in patients suffering fromplasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum malaria.