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Methaemoglobin profile in malaria infected children in Calabar
E K Uko1, A E Udoh, M H Etukudoh
1Department of Haematology, College of Health Sciences, University of Calabar.
Insights
Malaria infection significantly increases methaemoglobin (Met Hb) levels in children, particularly in severe cases. This finding suggests routine Met Hb testing for malaria patients to understand its role in complications like anemia.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Malaria infection disrupts red blood cells and converts hemoglobin to methaemoglobin.
- Understanding the link between malaria and methaemoglobin is crucial for managing the disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between malaria infection and methaemoglobin concentration in pediatric patients.
- To compare methaemoglobin levels in children with and without malaria, including severe cases.
Main Methods:
- Study included severe malaria-infected children (11 months-15 years) and healthy controls.
- Malaria detection followed WHO procedures.
- Methaemoglobin (Met Hb) levels were quantified using the Evelyn and Malloy method.
Main Results:
- Malaria-infected children exhibited significantly higher mean Met Hb levels (3.2 ± 0.8%) compared to controls (1.5 ± 0.5%).
- Severe malaria parasitaemia cases showed markedly elevated Met Hb levels (4.0 ± 0.9%) versus mild/moderate cases (2.9 ± 0.6%).
- All observed differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Severe malaria parasitaemia is associated with significantly elevated methaemoglobin levels.
- Further research is recommended to explore Met Hb's role in malaria symptomatology and complications, such as anemia.
- Routine estimation of Met Hb in malaria patients is proposed.
Background:
Malaria infection interferes with haemoglobin by disruption of red blood cells and by conversion of haemoglobin to methaemoglobin. This study was to determine the relationship between malaria and the concentration of methaemoglobin using malaria patients.
Methods:
Severe malaria-infected children of ages 11 months to 15 years recruited from the children emergency room of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) were used for the study while 62 age--sex matched apparently healthy school children and children that visited the child welfare clinic of UCTH were screened and used as controls. Malaria detection and identifications using WHO procedure were employed. Methaemoglobin (Met Hb) levels were determined using the method of Evelyn and Malloy.
Results:
The mean MetHb value for malaria-infected children was higher (3.2 +/- 0.8%) than that of the non- malaria infected subjects (1.5 +/- 0.5%). The difference was significant (p < 0.001). Patients with severe malaria parasitaemia had markedly raised MetHb values of 4.0 +/- 0.9% as compared to the values for mild/moderate infected cases (2.9 +/- 0.6%). The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
This study has demonstrated high level of MetHb value in subjects with severe malaria parasitaemia. It's role in the symptomatology and complications of malaria infection, especially in malaria anaemia should be examined in details. Routine estimation of MetHb in malaria patients is suggested.
