Thrombocytopaenia in Pregnant Women with Malaria
Author Information
Author(s): Tan Saw Oo, McGready Rose, Zwang Julien, Pimanpanarak Mupawjay, Sriprawat Kanlaya, Thwai Kyaw Lai, Moo Yoe, Ashley Elizabeth A, Edwards Bridget, Singhasivanon Pratap, White Nicholas J, Nosten François
Primary Institution: Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU)
Hypothesis
How does malaria affect platelet counts in pregnant women?
Conclusion
Pregnant women become more thrombocytopenic than non-pregnant women with acute uncomplicated malaria, but the condition is usually not severe.
Supporting Evidence
- Platelet counts were significantly lower in patients with falciparum and vivax malaria compared to healthy pregnant women.
- Pregnant women were at higher risk for thrombocytopaenia compared to non-pregnant women.
- Malaria associated thrombocytopaenia had a median recovery time of 7 days.
Takeaway
When pregnant women get malaria, their blood platelets can drop a lot, making them more likely to have low platelet counts than women who are not pregnant.
Methodology
This observational study reviewed platelet counts from routine complete blood counts in a cohort of healthy and malaria-infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinics.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to voluntary attendance at antenatal clinics and the observational nature of the study.
Limitations
The study was conducted in a low transmission area, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The study included Karen pregnant women with malaria, with a median age of 25 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.017
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.16–4.4
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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