Basic coagulation parameters and platelet count among malaria patients attending at Addis Zemen Primary Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Malaria is an intravascular parasitic-related blood disease that causes bleeding, coagulopathy, and thrombocytopenia. However, limited data shows the effect of Plasmodium species infection on basic coagulation parameters and platelet count. Thus, this study aimed to assess basic coagulation parameters and platelet count among malaria patients.

Method

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 study participants (120 cases and 120 controls) from June 1, 2021, to February 30, 2022. A convenient sampling technique was employed to select study participants. The blood sample was collected by a trained laboratory technologist for platelet counts, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), international normalization ratio (INR), blood film, and serological testing. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS version 23. Data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis H, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation tests. Descriptive findings were presented through median, tables, and chart. In all cases, a P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The percentage of mild, moderate, and high malaria parasitemia levels per microliter of blood was 21.7%, 20%, and 58.3%, respectively. The overall median malaria parasitemia was 10,304 per microliter of blood. Among malaria patients, 77.5%, 61.7%, and 51.7% had prolonged PT, INR, and APTT, respectively as compared to control. Moreover, 26.7% of Plasmodium-infected participants had mild thrombocytopenia as compared to the control group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The value of PT, APTT, and INR were significantly elevated, whereas the level of platelet count was inversely reduced when the malaria parasitemia level increased as compared to controls (p < 0.001).