Association Between Anthropometric and Hematological Parameters and the Diagnosis of Intestinal Parasitosis in...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Clinical diagnostics
• Public health research

Background:

• Parasitosis remains a significant health concern in children, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• Traditional diagnostic methods like copro-parasitological examinations can be resource-intensive and have limitations.
• Identifying alternative diagnostic markers is crucial for effective disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between anthropometric measurements and laboratory test results with the diagnosis of childhood parasitosis.
• To develop and evaluate diagnostic models for parasitosis that do not solely rely on copro-parasitological examinations.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1894 children (0-14 years) in Lima, Peru.
• Analysis of anthropometric data (BMI, weight, height) and laboratory parameters (hemoglobin, hematocrit, eosinophils, etc.).
• Multivariable Poisson regression and ROC curve analysis to identify associations and assess diagnostic model performance.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of parasitosis (41.9%) was observed, with common infections including Blastocystis hominis and Giardia duodenalis.
• Male sex, specific age groups (2-5 and >5 years), elevated eosinophil percentage, and low height-for-age were associated with increased parasitosis risk.
• Diagnostic models showed satisfactory predictive value only for Enterobius vermicularis, linked to BMI and hematocrit/hemoglobin levels.

Conclusions:

• Diagnostic models utilizing anthropometric and laboratory data show potential for identifying Enterobius vermicularis infections.
• These findings suggest a possible reduction in the need for copro-parasitological examinations in specific contexts.
• Further research is warranted to refine and validate these alternative diagnostic approaches for broader application.