BURDEN OF CYTOPAENIAS AMONG HIV POSITIVE PREGNANT WOMEN AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, IBADAN

Few studies have examined cytopaenia among HIV positive pregnant women.

To assess burden of cytopaenia among HIV positive pregnant women.

This cross-sectional study of women on HAART ≤6months, defined anemia as hematocrit <33%, leucopenia as total white blood cell count <3,000 cells/mm³ and thrombocytopenia as absolute platelet count <100,000 cells/mm³. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed.

Over 8 years, of 1,197 women, the mean age was 29.02(±5.4) years and mean gestational age 25.9(±8.1) weeks. Prevalence of anaemia was 76.8%, leucopaenia 6.9% and thrombocytopenia 4.7%. The mean haematocrit was 28.5%(±4.5); median white blood count 5,500/mm³ ; median platelet count 200,000/mm³ and median CD4 323 cells/mm³. Mean haematocrit was highest (29.7%±5.3) in women in the first trimester but lowest (28.4% ±4.6) in women in second trimester (p=0.04). Compared with earlier trimesters, women in the third trimester had higher median white blood count (5,600 cells/mm³), higher neutrophil (61.0% ±11.2) but lower lymphocytes (28.3%± 9.2) (p=0.18; 0.00, 0.00). Median absolute platelet count was highest (206,000 cells/mm³) in the first trimester but lowest (195,000 cells/mm³) in third trimester (0.04). Women with lower CD4 had higher prevalence of cytopaenias.

Cytopaenias are not uncommon in this population especially with lower CD4.