EVALUATION OF HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS IN UMUAHIA

Obeagu E. I.*, Okoroiwu I. L., Nwanjo H. U. and Nwosu D. C.

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis has been a great threat to mankind and has been defying treatments. Tuberculosis presents with a lot of changes in the system of the patients. This study was done to determine the levels of haematolological parameters of the tuberculosis patients in TB directly observed treatment-short course (TB DOTS) centre of FMC, Umuahia. A total of 150 subjects aged 18-60 years were enlisted for this study. The subjects were grouped into: Group A (50 control subjects) and Group B (100 TB Subjects). The data was analysed with the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20 using ANOVA and the level of significance set at P<0.05. The results showed significant increase (P<0.05) among control, TB on Baseline, TB on 4 months treatment and TB on 6 months treatment in WBC (5.87±0.88 X109/L, 5.41±0.49 X109/L, 5.93±0.65 X109/L, 5.40±1.41 X109/L) compared to TB subjects on 2 months treatment (4.87±0.27 X109/L). Neutrophils showed significant decrease (P<0.05) in TB subjects on 6 months treatment (5.40±1.41 X109/L) when compared to control, TB on Baseline, TB on 2 months treatment and TB on 4 months treatment (5.87±0.88 X109/L, 5.41±0.49 X109/L v,4.87±0.27, 5.93±0.65 X109/L). Lymphocytes showed significant decrease (P<0.05) in TB subjects on Baseline and TB on months treatment (22.00±2.90%, 26.06±1.41%) compared to the control, TB on 4 months treatment and TB on 6 months treatment (30.69±2.84%, 32.94±2.49%, 40.33±3.57%). Monocytes showed significant increase (P<0.05) IN TB subjects on Baseline and TB on 2 months treatment (11.44±0.94%, 10.33±0.73%) compared to the control, TB subjects on 4 months treatment and TB on 6 months treatment (5.59±120%, 7.04±1.23%, 5.34±0.87%) respectively. Eosinophils showed no significant difference (P>0.05) when compared among the entire subjects (2.30±1.05%, 2.22±0.47%, 1.16±0.17%, 0.92±0.18%, 0.48±0.18%). Basophils showed significant increase (P<0.05) among control, TB On Baseline, TB on 2 months treatment, and TB on 4 months treatment (0.86±0.39%, 1.33±0.26%, 1.79±0.34%, 0.99±0.32%) compared to TB on 6 months treatment (0.55±0.18%). Red blood cells showed significant increase (P<0.05) among control, TB on 4 months treatment, and TB on 6 months treatment (4.92±0.30 X1012/L, 4.31±0.20 X1012/L, 4.50±0.17 X1012/L) compared to TB subjects on Baseline and TB subjects on 2 months treatment (3.64±0.19 X1012/L, 3.57±0.46 X1012/L). Haemoglobin and packed cell volume showed the same level of significant increase (P<0.05) among the control, TB on 4 months treatment and TB on 6 months treatment (14.75±0.90g/dl, 44.25±2.70%; 12.91±0.61g/dl, 38.74±1.83%; 13.51±0.54g/dl, 40.53±1.61%;) compared to the TB on Baseline and TB on 2 months on treatment (10.91±0.56g/dl, 32.72±1.68%; 10.71±1.39g/dl, 32.44±4.16%) respectively. Mean cell volume (MCV) and Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) showed no significant difference (P>0.05) when compared among the control, TB on Baseline, TB on 2 months treatment, TB on 4 months treatment and TB on 6 months treatment(89.92±2.30fl, 36.12±1.53pg; 78.88±1.48fl, 27.52±0.40pg; 76.72±1.3fl, 27.92±0.75pg; 81.60±2.74fl, 29.88±1.20pg;83.60±1.17fl, 33.47±1.17pg) respectively. Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) showed significant increase (P<0.05) among control, TB on 4 months treatment and TB on 6 months treatment (368.46±12.28g/l, 353.76±5.83g/l, 361.60±94.90g/l)compared to TB on Baseline and TB on 2 months treatment (352.30±0.40g/l, 341.80±0.97g/l). Platelets showed significant increase (P<0.05) among control (261.75±22.7 X109/L) compared to TB on Baseline, TB on 2 months treatment, TB on 4 months treatment and TB on 6 months treatment (140.98±3.66 X109/L,148.11±6.62 X109/L, 184.57±4.72 X109/L, 203.10±28.26 X109/L). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) showed significant increase (P<0.05) ON TB on Baseline, TB on 2 months treatment, TB on 4 months treatment, and TB on 6 months treatment (47.55 X109/L2.67mm/hr, 38.40 X109/L3.66mm/hr, 30.13 X109/L2,53mm/hr, 21.05 X109/L2.91mm/hr) compared to the control (7.03 X109/L1.38mm/hr) respectively. The red blood cell, packed cell volume and haemoglobin were suppressed but improved win the course of treatment. The haemtological parameters like haemoglobin, RBC and PCV increased significantly with increased duration of treatment showing improvement in health status of the patients and monocytes decreased significantly in TB patients.

Keywords: Haematological parameters, tuberculosis patients, duration of treatment, Umuahia.