Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness
Background. Thrombocytopenia is the most common hematological abnormality in patients with acute malaria. This study aimed to determine the role of thrombocytopenia as a diagnostic marker for malaria in patients with acute febrile illness. Method. A cross-sectional health facility-based study was co...
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| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5585272 |
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| author | Angesom Gebreweld Yonas Erkihun Daniel Getacher Feleke Gebru Hailu Temesgen Fiseha |
| author_facet | Angesom Gebreweld Yonas Erkihun Daniel Getacher Feleke Gebru Hailu Temesgen Fiseha |
| author_sort | Angesom Gebreweld |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Thrombocytopenia is the most common hematological abnormality in patients with acute malaria. This study aimed to determine the role of thrombocytopenia as a diagnostic marker for malaria in patients with acute febrile illness. Method. A cross-sectional health facility-based study was conducted on 423 consecutively selected acute febrile patients at Ataye District Hospital from February to May 2019 GC. A complete blood count and malaria microscopy were performed for each acute febrile patient. ROC curve analysis was performed to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of platelet count in predicting malaria. A P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result. Out of the 423 acute febrile patients, 73 (17.3%) were microscopically confirmed malaria cases and the rest 350 (82.7%) patients had negative blood film results. Of the microscopically confirmed malaria cases, 55 (75.34%) were P. vivax and 18 (24.66%) were P. falciparum. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia among malaria patients (79.5%) was significantly higher than those in malaria negative acute febrile patients (13.7%), P < 0.001. About 67% malaria-infected patients had mild to moderate thrombocytopenia and 12.3% had severe thrombocytopenia. The ROC analysis demonstrated platelet counts <150,000/μl as an optimal cutoff value with 0.893 area under the curve, 79.5% sensitivity, 86.3% specificity, 95.3% negative predictive value, and 54.7% positive predictive value to predict malaria. Conclusion. Malaria is still among the major public health problems in the country. Thrombocytopenia is a very good discriminatory test for the presence or absence of malaria with 79.5% sensitivity and 86.3% specificity. Therefore, this may be used in addition to the clinical and microscopic parameters to heighten the suspicion of malaria. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ecd8ec409d6040babc46eb905fa273a4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1687-9686 1687-9694 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-ecd8ec409d6040babc46eb905fa273a42025-08-20T02:22:06ZengWileyJournal of Tropical Medicine1687-96861687-96942021-01-01202110.1155/2021/55852725585272Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile IllnessAngesom Gebreweld0Yonas Erkihun1Daniel Getacher Feleke2Gebru Hailu3Temesgen Fiseha4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, EthiopiaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, EthiopiaDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Environmental Health and Behavioral Science, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, EthiopiaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, EthiopiaBackground. Thrombocytopenia is the most common hematological abnormality in patients with acute malaria. This study aimed to determine the role of thrombocytopenia as a diagnostic marker for malaria in patients with acute febrile illness. Method. A cross-sectional health facility-based study was conducted on 423 consecutively selected acute febrile patients at Ataye District Hospital from February to May 2019 GC. A complete blood count and malaria microscopy were performed for each acute febrile patient. ROC curve analysis was performed to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of platelet count in predicting malaria. A P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result. Out of the 423 acute febrile patients, 73 (17.3%) were microscopically confirmed malaria cases and the rest 350 (82.7%) patients had negative blood film results. Of the microscopically confirmed malaria cases, 55 (75.34%) were P. vivax and 18 (24.66%) were P. falciparum. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia among malaria patients (79.5%) was significantly higher than those in malaria negative acute febrile patients (13.7%), P < 0.001. About 67% malaria-infected patients had mild to moderate thrombocytopenia and 12.3% had severe thrombocytopenia. The ROC analysis demonstrated platelet counts <150,000/μl as an optimal cutoff value with 0.893 area under the curve, 79.5% sensitivity, 86.3% specificity, 95.3% negative predictive value, and 54.7% positive predictive value to predict malaria. Conclusion. Malaria is still among the major public health problems in the country. Thrombocytopenia is a very good discriminatory test for the presence or absence of malaria with 79.5% sensitivity and 86.3% specificity. Therefore, this may be used in addition to the clinical and microscopic parameters to heighten the suspicion of malaria.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5585272 |
| spellingShingle | Angesom Gebreweld Yonas Erkihun Daniel Getacher Feleke Gebru Hailu Temesgen Fiseha Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| title | Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness |
| title_full | Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness |
| title_fullStr | Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness |
| title_short | Thrombocytopenia as a Diagnostic Marker for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness |
| title_sort | thrombocytopenia as a diagnostic marker for malaria in patients with acute febrile illness |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5585272 |
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