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

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of malarial infection on hemoglobin, total leukocyte count (TLC) and platelet count of patients coming to a tertiary care hospital.METHODOLOGY: This descriptive hospital based study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Hayabatabad Medical 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 selected through convenient non-probability sampling technique. Complete blood counts (CBC) were performed on automated hematology analyzer Sysmex KX 21. Thick and thin films stained with Giemsa stain were prepared to confirm malarial parasite. Statistical analysis was done by using 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 hematology analyzer results showed that mean total leukocyte count (TLC) was 7170.40+3919.11/mm3 (minimum 700/mm3 maximum 22800/mm3),mean hemoglobin was 9.18+3.03g/dl (minimum 2.80 g/dl maximum 16.40 g/dl) and mean platelet count was 143019+125497.83/mm3 (minimum 4000/mm3 maximum 670000/mm3). These results were confirmed manually. Anemia was recorded in 66% of cases, leukopenia in 15% cases, leukocytosis in 12% cases, thrombocytopenia in 68% cases and pancytopenia was observed in 9% cases.CONCLUSION: Thrombocytopenia was recorded in majority of the cases followed by anemia and leucopoenia in patients suffering from plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum malaria.