Supportive presumptive diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria - Thrombocytopenia and red cell distribution width

WOS: 000246954000007PubMed ID: 17457473Objectives: To evaluate hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelet counts and red cell distribution width values during acute vivax malaria. Methods: This study, which comprises 90 symptomatic vivax malaria patients compared with 52 healthy controls, investigated hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelet counts and red cell distribution width values during acute disease prior to the treatment in vivax malaria, from May 2002 to December 2004 in Adana, Cukurova region, located in the southern part of Turkey, along the Mediterranean coast. Results: Mean values for hemoglobin, leukocyte and platelet counts in the vivax malaria group in our study were found to be significantly lower in comparison to the control group. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were also observed in the malaria group while not in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.0001). Mean red cell distribution width values were found to be significantly higher in the malaria group (p