Changes in Platelet Count and Mean Platelet Volume during Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, and their Correlation with ESR and CRP at Zewditu Memorial Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Creators: name: Setu, Asnake
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2016

description: s and inflammatory diseases have been among the major threats for public health. Many ways of diagnosing these diseases have been developed. However, there is still a need for better parameters that will help reduce the cost and increase the reliability of the diagnosis. Efforts have been undergoing to standardize the use of Platelet parameters with Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C - reactive protein (CRP). Objective: To evaluate the changes in platelet count (PLT) and mean platelet volume (MPV), and the relation between each of those markers with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C - reactive protein (CRP) in infectious and inflammatory diseases in Zewditu Memorial Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from July 2015 – May 2016. Methods: A cross-sectional, hospital based study was conducted on 100 patients with infectious and inflammatory diseases and admitted in medical ward of Zewditu Memorial Hospital. PLT, MPV, ESR, and CRP were measured at hospitalization and discharge. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were collected using formats. Whole blood was collected and measured using Cell Dyn 1800 Hematological analyzer for Platelet parameters (PLT and MPV). The serum level of CRP and ESR were measured using semi quantitative agglutination test and Westergren methods, respectively. Values at admission and discharge were compared using paired t-test. In addition, Pearson correlation test was used to determine the relationship between the platelet count, MPV, ESR and CRP. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS ver.21 statistical software and P-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Result: 48 male and 52 female adult patients with infectious and inflammatory conditions were involved in this study. Their mean PLT count changes from 258.5 ± 131.1(x 10 9/l)at admission to 279.5 ± 124.9 (x 109/l), P =0.001) at discharge.MPV increased during the same period but the difference was not statistically significant (9.6 ± 1.7flvs.10.1 ± 7.9fl,P&lt;0.58). CRP and ESR decreased at discharge with clinical resolution of CRP 6.6 ± 9.7mg/l to 2.8±5.9 mg/l (p=0.001) and ESR 46.0 ± 40.2 mm/h to 31.5 ± 30.9 mm/h (p=0.001). PLT and MPV had a negative correlation at the time of admission (r=-0.371, p=0.001) but not at discharge (r= 0.017,p=0.863). ESR was not significantly correlated with PLT both at admission (r= 0.059, p=0.560) and discharge (r=0.077, p=0.447). Besides, ESR had no significant correlation with MPV both at admission (r= -0.096, p=0.341) and discharge (r= 0.019, p=0.849). ESR and CRP had a significant positive correlation at the time of admission (r= 0.57, p=0.0001) as well as discharge (r= 0.58, p=0.0001). Conclusion: The study demonstrated a change in PLT, ESR and CRP values of patients with infectious and inflammatory condition from the admission values. The platelet parameters were not well correlated with the known disease activity markers (CRP and ESR). Thus, further study is warranted addressing single disease so as to get convincing results before claiming them as reliable markers for assessment of infectious and inflammatory disease activity in our settings. Key words: platelet count; mean platelet volume; C-reactive protein; erythrocyte sedimentation rate and disease activity