TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of hematological indices of childhood illnesses in Tamale Metropolis of Ghana
AU - Anabire, Nsoh Godwin
AU - Aryee, Paul Armah
AU - Addo, Francis
AU - Anaba, Frank
AU - Kanwugu, Osman Nabayire
AU - Ankrah, Jacob
AU - Awandare, Gordon Akanzuwine
AU - Helegbe, Gideon Kofi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PY - 2018/10
Y1 - 2018/10
N2 - Background: Although hematological indices cannot in entirety be used to diagnose diseases or defects, the appropriate interpretation of these indices could complement diagnostics such as microscopy and serology for numerous illnesses in children. This study sought to evaluate distinct hematological indices characterizing different childhood illnesses. Methods: Full blood counts from 150 children (age range from 1 to 15 year) presenting different disease conditions at the Tamale Central Hospital were assessed. The hematological indices were compared between disease categories, and relationships between disease indicators were determined. Results: The prevalence of the diagnosed childhood illness were: 50.7% malaria, 20.0% diarrhea, 13.3% typhoid fever, 10.0% Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), and 6.0% malaria-typhoid co-infection. Fever was diagnosed in a majority (66.0%) of the children, but was independent of each disease group, (χ2 = 9.18, P =.057). Of the 24 hematological indices analyzed, eight; red blood cell (RBC) (P <.001), hemoglobin (Hb) (P <.001), mean cell volume (MCV) (P =.002), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH) (P <.001; lowest and below normal range for SCD), red cell distribution width (RDW_CV) (P <.001), eosinophil percentage [EOS (%)] (P =.001), eosinophil number [EOS#] (P =.002), and platelets (PLT) (P =.001; lowest for malaria) differed significantly across the different disease groups. Levels of Hb and/or MCV were below the normal reference ranges for most of the diagnosed diseases. In addition, low PLT and MCH were respectively distinct for children with malaria and SCD. Conclusion: Hematological indices including Hb, MCV and PLT, or MCH may be useful indices that could incite further diagnostic tests for malaria or SCD among children in Ghana.
AB - Background: Although hematological indices cannot in entirety be used to diagnose diseases or defects, the appropriate interpretation of these indices could complement diagnostics such as microscopy and serology for numerous illnesses in children. This study sought to evaluate distinct hematological indices characterizing different childhood illnesses. Methods: Full blood counts from 150 children (age range from 1 to 15 year) presenting different disease conditions at the Tamale Central Hospital were assessed. The hematological indices were compared between disease categories, and relationships between disease indicators were determined. Results: The prevalence of the diagnosed childhood illness were: 50.7% malaria, 20.0% diarrhea, 13.3% typhoid fever, 10.0% Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), and 6.0% malaria-typhoid co-infection. Fever was diagnosed in a majority (66.0%) of the children, but was independent of each disease group, (χ2 = 9.18, P =.057). Of the 24 hematological indices analyzed, eight; red blood cell (RBC) (P <.001), hemoglobin (Hb) (P <.001), mean cell volume (MCV) (P =.002), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH) (P <.001; lowest and below normal range for SCD), red cell distribution width (RDW_CV) (P <.001), eosinophil percentage [EOS (%)] (P =.001), eosinophil number [EOS#] (P =.002), and platelets (PLT) (P =.001; lowest for malaria) differed significantly across the different disease groups. Levels of Hb and/or MCV were below the normal reference ranges for most of the diagnosed diseases. In addition, low PLT and MCH were respectively distinct for children with malaria and SCD. Conclusion: Hematological indices including Hb, MCV and PLT, or MCH may be useful indices that could incite further diagnostic tests for malaria or SCD among children in Ghana.
KW - hematological indices
KW - malaria
KW - sickle cell disease
KW - typhoid fever
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055074126&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jcla.22582
DO - 10.1002/jcla.22582
M3 - Article
C2 - 29862574
AN - SCOPUS:85055074126
SN - 0887-8013
VL - 32
JO - Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis
JF - Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis
IS - 8
M1 - e22582
ER -