Thrombocytopenia in malaria.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of thrombocytopenia in malarial parasite (MP) positive patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Medical Unit-III, Ward-7, JPMC, Karachi, from June to October 2006.


METHODS
One hundred twenty four MP positive cases were included in the study. Infections with both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax species were included. Complete blood picture with platelet count was obtained in all patients. Thrombocytopenia was defined as platelets count of < 150,000/cmm.


RESULTS
Among 124 patients of MP positive, 100 (80.6%) were found to have thrombocytopenia. Over all 64 patients had Plasmodium falciparum, while 60 patients were having Plasmodium vivax infection. The frequency of thrombocytopenia was 71.87% (n=46) in falciparum and 93.33% (n=56) in vivax infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Thrombocytopenia was a common haematological finding in patients with Plasmodium infection particularly marked in vivax species infection.
Shaikh
Qurban Hussain
QH
Department of Medicine, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. bilalcohussain55@hotmail.com
Ahmad
Syed Masroor
SM
Abbasi
Amanullah
A
Malik
Shujaat Ali
SA
Sahito
Abdul Aziz
AA
Munir
S M
SM
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult