Age-Related Haematological Variations in Patients with Asymptomatic Malaria in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

Background: Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease of widespread burden. Malaria remains a leading communicable disease in the developing countries of the world. It occurs mostly in the tropical and subtropical regions and accounts for considerable morbidity and death. Malaria which is liable for a major amount of mortalities in endemic countries has been revealed to have both direct and indirect impacts on the haematologicalparameters.The study was done to compare the levels of haematological parameters of asymptomatic malaria patients based on age groups.

Methods: The study is a cross-sectional study among asymptomatic malaria patients based on age groups. This study was conducted in Oda Road area of Akure, Ondo State. Two hundred (200) subjects were recruited for this study with each group comprising of 100 subjects for patients with asymptomatic malaria for the 2 age groups (16-30 years and 31-65 years). The data were presented in tables and as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed using student-test for parametric data and chi-square for non parametric data by statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS, Version 20.0) and level of significance set at as p≤ 0.05.

Results: The results showed that subjects on age group 16-30 years were 100(50%) comprising of 50 males (25%) and 50 females (25). Also age group 31-65 years has 100 subjects (50%) comprising of 50 males (25%) and 50 females (25).The results showed significant difference in MCV (p=0.008), MCH (p=0.024) and no significant difference in PCV (p=0.675), WBC (p= 0.224), LYM (p=0.109), GRAN (p=0.061), MID (p=0.066), RBC (p=0.119), Hb (p=0.546), MCHC (p=0.262), PLT (p=0.783), when compared between age groups in years (16-30 and 31-65).

Conclusion: The study showed increase in MCV and MCH of asymptomatic malaria patients within the age group of 31-65 years compared to asymptomatic malaria patients on 16-30 years age group. This shows that microcytic hypochromic anaemia may be experienced in asymptomatic malaria patients within the age group of 16-30 years more than in 31-65 years age group.