RESPONSE OF PLASMODIUM VIVAX MALARIA INDUCED THROMBOCYTOPENIA TO ANTIMALARIAL TREATMENT

Authors

  • Abdul Latif Khattak
  • Waqar Ali
  • Naseer Ahmed Khan
  • Luqman Satti
  • Muhammad Idris

Abstract

Background: Thrombocytopenia is often seen in the patients of malaria infected with Plasmodium vivax. We studied patients admitted in hospital having coexisting thrombocytopenia and malaria, and recorded the response to anti-malarial therapy. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, a total of 120 patients admitted in medical ward with Plasmodium vivax malaria and co-existing thrombocytopenia were studied. Results: Out of total 120 slide positive Malaria patients who had low platelet count (<150×109 /L), platelet count increased to ≥150×109 /L in 73 (60.8%) patients after five days of anti-malarial therapy while in 47 (39.2%) patients  thrombocytopenia persisted. After ten days of anti-malarial therapy, platelet count in all the patients recovered to ≥150×109 /L. None of the patients required platelet transfusion. Conclusion: In majority of the patients of Plasmodium vivax malaria having thrombocytopenia, platelet count returns to normal within five to ten days of start of anti-malarial treatment and platelet transfusion is not required.Keywords: Malaria, thrombocytopenia, Plasmodium vivax, Chloroquine

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Published

2014-12-01

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