title: Effect of Plasmodium falciparum malaria on plasma fibrinopeptide-A (FpA) concentration.
abstract: Plasma Fibrinopeptide-A (FpA) concentrations were determined using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) in patients with acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection and in 30 healthy controls. The mean FpA levels of the malaria patients were significantly raised (p < 0.001). The patients' FpA level correlated positively with malaria parasitaemia, but negatively with plasma fibrinogen concentration. A week after commencement of chloroquine therapy and subsequent disappearance of malaria parasites from the thick blood films, the patients' FpA levels decreased significantly from pre-treatment values. It is suggested that the elevated FpA and reduced plasma fibrinogen levels in the patients probably indicate a more widespread existence of overt coagulation defect in acute malaria infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Jimmy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saliu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Okpala
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sowumni
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Ademowo
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Essien
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D005344:Fibrinopeptide A; D002738:Chloroquine