Haematological abnormalities in children with tuberculosis

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G Wessels1, H S Schaaf, N Beyers

  • 1Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa.

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
|December 10, 1999
PubMed

Insights

A full blood count (FBC) has no diagnostic value for childhood tuberculosis (TB). While anaemia and elevated white blood cells are common in TB patients, these findings also appear frequently in children with other respiratory infections.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Hematology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in children remains challenging, particularly in developing countries.
  • Hematological parameters are often evaluated to aid in diagnosis, but their utility in pediatric TB requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the diagnostic predictive value of a full blood count (FBC) in children suspected of having tuberculosis (TB).
  • To identify specific hematological parameters that differentiate TB cases from non-TB cases in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective study of 307 children with suspected TB and available FBC results at Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa.
  • Children were categorized into confirmed TB (Group A), probable TB (Group B), and no TB (Group C) based on WHO criteria.
  • Statistical analysis compared hematological parameters, including hemoglobin, white blood cell counts, and differentials, between groups.

Main Results:

  • Lower mean hemoglobin (Hb) was the only significant difference between children with TB (Groups A & B) and the no-TB group (Group C).
  • No significant differences were observed in total white cell count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, or platelets between groups.
  • Common abnormalities like anemia, neutrophilia, and monocytosis were found with equal frequency in both TB and non-TB children.

Conclusions:

  • A full blood count (FBC) does not possess diagnostic predictive value for investigating childhood tuberculosis.
  • Hematological abnormalities are common in pediatric TB but are also prevalent in children with other respiratory infections in developing countries.
  • Relying solely on FBC results is insufficient for diagnosing TB in children, necessitating further diagnostic approaches.

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