Abstract

GONZALEZ, Brunnell et al. Hematologic variations in patient with malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax before, during and after treatment. Invest. clín [online]. 2009, vol.50, n.2, pp.187-201. ISSN 0535-5133.

In order to determine the relationship between hematological parameters, parasitaemia and malaria episodes, we evaluated 59 individuals of both sexes, infected with Plasmodium vivax and 30 controls from Sucre state. Blood samples were obtained by venous puncture and from the earlobe at day of diagnosis, 8 and 30 days post-diagnosis. We carried out hematological analysis, microscopic and molecular (PCR) diagnosis and the parasitaemia was calculated. There were significant differences by sex for hemoglobin, erythrocytes and hematocrit (p < 0,01 in all three analysis). These values in males, decreased by day 8 with respect to day 0 (p < 0,001; p = 0,006 y p = 0,025, respectively). In females, significant differences were only seen in hemoglobin and hematocrit between controls and patients (p < 0,001). The average number of leucocytes at the day of diagnosis was within the reference values, but slightly lower compared to the controls and the samples during and after the treatment. The average proportion of eosinophils was higher than normal for both, controls and patients, during and after the treatment. Thrombocytopenia was observed at diagnosis, but a week after, the values increased significantly (p < 0,001). There was an inverse relationship between parasitaemia and platelet count and a direct relationship between the first and hemoglobin at day 0, as well as with the difference in platelet counts between day 0 and day 8 (p = 0,044 y p = 0,014, respectively). This difference was the only parameter related to the number of malaria episodes (p = 0,040). Thrombocytopenia showed to be an indicator of acute malaria.

Keywords : Malaria; Plasmodium vivax; hematological parameters; thrombocytopenia.

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