Anemia and thrombocytopenia in children with Plasmodium vivax malaria

J Trop Pediatr. 2006 Feb;52(1):49-51. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmi069. Epub 2005 Jun 24.

Abstract

Clinico-epidemiological features of pediatric patients with malaria due Plasmodium vivax that developed anemia and thrombocytopenia requiring hospitalization are herein reported. Over a 3-year period, 78 children with P. vivax infection were admitted to our Hospital in Sucre, Venezuela. Clinical manifestations at admission were 93.59 per cent fever, 41.03 per cent chills and 14.10 per cent headache, among others. On paraclinical evaluations 94.87 percent presented with anemia (10.26 per cent severe), 25.64 percent with malnutrition, and 10.26 percent had intestinal parasitosis. The mean hemoglobin levels on admission were 8.09 g/dl and mean platelet counts 127 402 cells/mm3. Among these patients 58.97 per cent developed thrombocytopenia (24.36 per cent severe) requiring transfusion in 25.64 per cent of patients. After antimalarial treatment with chloroquine and primaquine and supportive care all patients were successfully discharged. No deaths or further complications were seen, except for persistent mild thrombocytopenia in 17.95 per cent of the patients.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Anemia / diagnosis
  • Anemia / epidemiology*
  • Anemia / therapy
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Blood Transfusion
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Malaria, Vivax / diagnosis
  • Malaria, Vivax / drug therapy
  • Malaria, Vivax / epidemiology*
  • Male
  • Probability
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sex Distribution
  • Survival Rate
  • Thrombocytopenia / diagnosis
  • Thrombocytopenia / drug therapy
  • Thrombocytopenia / epidemiology*
  • Venezuela / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antimalarials