To study hematological profile in malaria patients

Background:  Malaria has been a problem in India for centuries and it is responsible for many deaths in rural areas. This study was done to observe hematological profile in malaria patients and to study the incidence of complications in different species of malaria patients and to find any relation with hematological changes. Methods: The study was conducted at MLN Medical College, Allahabad in the Department of Medicine between January 2016 to December 2016. One hundred consecutive patients aged 18 years or more with malaria fever were interviewed and examined. Results:  Out of 100 patients 26 patients had Plasmodium vivax malaria and 59 patients had Plasmodium falciparum infection while 15 patients had mixed PV and PF infection. In present study thrombocytopenia was most common hematological abnormality. Thrombocytopenia was present in 87 patients, out of them 18 had very severe thrombocytopenia while 69 had mild to moderate thrombocytopenia. Frank bleeding was present in 14 of total studied population and had both PV and PF infection. Petechial rashes were present in 10 patients. Anemia was present in 80 patients. Conclusions:  Thrombocytopenia is very frequent finding in patients suffering from malaria, and even in presence of thrombocytopenia bleeding manifestations are uncommon. So, platelet transfusion should not be performed routinely in all thrombocytopenia patients, rather it should be indicated only if bleeding manifestations are present. Anemia, pancytopenia and leucopenia are other frequent laboratory findings of malaria infection.