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Volume 25 |
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Published by : PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS |
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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Volume 25 |
January - March 2009 |
Number 1 |
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Varicella induced thrombocytopenia in adults
Ali Hassan Abro1, Abdulla M Ustadi2, Jawahar L. Gangwani3,
Ahmed MS Abdou4, Fatma Saifuddin Chandra5, Abeer Al-Haj6ABSTRACT
Objectives: To describe the frequency and severity of thrombocytopenia associated with adult chickenpox patients admitted in the hospital.
Methodology: This was a hospital based descriptive study conducted from January 2005 to March 2008 at the Infectious Diseases Unit, Rashid Hospital Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The study was designed to record demographics, clinical information, hematological and biochemical changes observed in each patient. The data was entered into a structured proforma separately. Patients with history of chronic liver disease, immunocompromized status (HIV/Drugs), history of blood disorder, recent intake of drugs/conditions which can cause thrombocytopenia and active alcohol consumers were excluded from the study. Full blood count including platelet count was performed by an automated Beckman Coulter machine. To verify the hematological finding, the cases with low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) were subjected to peripheral smear examination.
Results: A total of 110 patients were recruited into the study. The mean age ± SD of the patients under the study was 32.9±9.7 years and males outnumbered the females, 83.6%vs 16.3%. Forty six (41.8%) patients developed thrombocytopenia and their mean platelet count was 111.8±30.59x103/ul (24-149x103/ul). High frequency of thrombocytopenia was observed in patients who also had associated varicella pneumonia, hepatic dysfunction and renal impairment. None of the patients with thrombocytopenia developed bleeding manifestations during the course of the disease. Platelet count returned to the reference range within 1-2 weeks of the treatment of varicella without platelet transfusion.
Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia is frequently associated with chickenpox. The incidence of thrombocytopenia was observed higher in patients with the evidence of disseminated disease. Furthermore, low platelet count usually does not cause bleeding tendency and count improves with the treatment of varicella.
KEY WORDS: Varicella, Thrombocytopenia, Adults.
Pak J Med Sci January - March 2009 Vol. 25 No. 1 7-11
How to cite this article:
Abro AH, Ustadi AM, Gangwani JL, Abdou AMS, Chandra FS, Al-Haj A. Varicella induced thrombocytopenia in adults. Pak J Med Sci 2009;25(1):7-11.
1. Ali Hassan Abro, FCPS, MRCP,
2. Abdulla M Ustadi, M Sc,
Infectious Diseases Unit,
3. Jawahar L Gangwani, FCPS, MRCPI,
Accident and Emergency Department,
4. Ahmed MS Abdou, FRCPI,
Infectious Diseases Unit,
5. Fatma Saifuddin Chandra, MBBS,
Infectious Diseases Unit,
6. Abeer Al-Haj, MRCP,
1,2,4-6: Infectious Diseases Unit,
Rashid Hospital Dubai,
United Arab Emirates.Correspondence
Dr. Ali Hassan Abro.
Ward-17, Rashid Hospital Dubai,
P.O. Box: 4545,
UAE.
Email: ahabro@dohms.gov.ae
momal65@hotmail.com
* Received for Publication: July 2, 2008
* Accepted: November 15, 2008
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