Azfar Farogh, Qayyum A, Aamir Haleem, Ghaffar A.
Hematological abnormalities in malaria.
Biomedica Jan ;25(1):52-5.

This study was performed to observe the frequency of haematological abnormalities such as anaemia, thrombocytopaenia, and leucopaenia or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in patients suffering from malaria. The study was carried out at Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur from 01-07-2003 to 31-07-2004. A total of 50 consecutive patients of all ages and sex presenting with malaria in medical wards were studied. Detailed history was taken especially of fever, rigors, chills, headache, fits or bleeding from any site. The patients already taking antimalarial drugs were excluded. Baseline characteristics were recorded. In 50 patients studied, most of them were of young age with a peak occurrence between 21-35 years. More females (56%) were affected than males (44%). In most of the patients (98%) fever was the presenting symptom associated with rigors (60%), chills (74%), headache (80%), fits (40%), unconsciousness (20%) and history of bleeding (4%). The examination and investigations revealed anaemia (84%), jaundice (14%), spleenomegaly (72%), thrombocytopaenia (52%), leucopaenia (18%), haemoglobinuria (6%) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (2%). In patients presenting with malaria the most common presentation is fever associated with headache, rigors and chills. The hematological abnormalities seen included anaemia and thrombocytopaenia in the patients suffering from malaria.

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