Supportive presumptive diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria. Thrombocytopenia and red cell distribution width.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelet counts and red cell distribution width values during acute vivax malaria.


METHODS
This study, which comprises 90 symptomatic vivax malaria patients compared with 52 healthy controls, investigated hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelet counts and red cell distribution width values during acute disease prior to the treatment in vivax malaria, from May 2002 to December 2004 in Adana, Cukurova region, located in the southern part of Turkey, along the Mediterranean coast.


RESULTS
Mean values for hemoglobin, leukocyte and platelet counts in the vivax malaria group in our study were found to be significantly lower in comparison to the control group. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were also observed in the malaria group while not in the control group (p<0.05, p<0.0001). Mean red cell distribution width values were found to be significantly higher in the malaria group (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicated that routinely used laboratory findings such as low hemoglobin, leukocyte or platelet counts and especially high red cell distribution width values could present a more supportive clue in the diagnosis of vivax malaria in endemic areas.
Koltas
Ismail S
IS
Department of Parasitology, University of Cukurova, Balcali, Adana 01330, Turkey. koltas@cu.edu.tr
Demirhindi
Hakan
H
Hazar
Salih
S
Ozcan
Kadri
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010976:Platelet Count; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology