ABSTRACT
Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is an infectious and debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. Simple, reliable and cost effective biomarkers are vital to fore-stall the morbidity and mortality that is hallmark of the infection especially in resource poor economy.Methods: This comparative study enlisted 140 subjects: 80 had PTB and 60 do not. Blood of 8mls was collected; 3mls in K2-EDTA for FBC testing with XE-2100 Sysmex and ESR by Westergreen method. The remainder was used for serum CRP assay by ELISA. The radiological extent was determined from Chest X ray report and disease severity using modified Bandim TB scoring was extracted from the case note. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship and diagnostic utility between leucocyte with CRP, ESR, radiological extent of disease and disease severity in PTB.Results: Mean Lymphocyte count was lower while TWBC, Neutrophil and Monocyte counts were higher in subjects compared to control (p<0.05). Median CRP, ESR, NLR, NMR and MLR were higher in subjects compared to control (p<0.05), NLR and MLR showed strong positive significant correlation with ESR, disease severity, and radiological extend of disease. NMR (p= 0.00) had a negative correlation with ESR (p<0.05) and inverse correlation with disease severity and radiological extent.Conclusions: This study found NLR, MLR and NMR as a readily, easily available and inexpensive indices that are as efficient and comparable to known biomarkers in PTB infection, therefore could serve as valuable predictive biomarker in areas of high disease burden with weak economy.
ABSTRACT
Aim: To determine the Red cell indices and Reticulocyte count values in HIV-positive patients under antiretroviral treatment and those not under antiretroviral treatments with varying durations of HIV infection and antiretroviral treatments. Study Design: Case-control study. Place and duration of Study: The study was carried out at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nigeria from March to August 2013. Methodology: 181 subjects were recruited consisting; Sixty (30 males and 30 females) HIV subjects under antiretroviral therapy (ART) with an HIV infection and ART duration of <1–5 years, >5 –8 years and >8–17 years; Sixty (25 males and 35 females) HIV subjects not under ART (non-ART) with an infection duration of <1–3 years, >3–6 years and >6–11 years; and Sixty-one (31 male and 30 female) apparently healthy seronegative control subjects. The Reticulocytes count, Packed cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (HGB), Red blood cell count (RBC), Mean cell volume (MCV), Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of the study subjects were determined. Results: MCV and MCH for ART and non-ART subjects were significantly increased compared with control group (P<.05) and the differences with varying durations of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy were not significant (P>.05). Moreover, there was a significant decrease in the mean HGB, RBC, MCHC of ART and non-ART compared with control (F=8.51; 133.85; 33.32; P<.05 respectively) and their differences with varying durations of infection and antiretroviral therapy were not significant (P>.05). MCV were significantly higher in ART compared with non-ART (P<.05). Conclusion: There is no significant variation in Red cell indices and Reticulocyte count values in HIV patients with differences in duration of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy.
ABSTRACT
Background: As deaths caused by HIV declines with the use of HAART, liver disease associated with co-infection of HIV with hepatotropic viruses has become an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality. Aim: To assess the effect of HIV-mono and co-infections with hepatotropic viruses on haematological and biochemical markers of the patients. Methodology: 109 HIV patients from tertiary health facilities in northeastern Nigeria were initially screened with Immuno chromatographic kit for HIV antibody and confirmed by western blot prospectively and consecutively. However, Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody were detected on the HIV positive patients by ELISA. Blood donors served as control. The study was conducted between January and October 2012. Results: Of the HIV patients 12.8% and 4.6% had HBsAg and HCV antibody respectively. The prevalence rate of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among males was 12.8% while females had 12.9% but lower rates of HCV were obtained in both males (5.1%) and females (3.3%). However, HIV mono-infections had higher mean baseline values for haemogblobin (Hb), CD4 and platelet counts, protein C (PC) and protein S (PS) in comparison with HIV/ HBV/HCV co-infections (P<0.05). In addition, Prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were lower in HIV mono- infection in contrast to co-infections (P<0.05). Similarly, the mean values of Serum liver enzymes such as Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alanine transaminase (ALT), Akaline Phosphatase (ALP) and creatinine were lower in HIV mono-infection compared with HIV/HBV or HIV/HCV co-infection (P<0.05). Total white blood cell count (WBC), total cholesterol (TCH), Random blood sugar (RBS) and potassium (K+) were not significantly different (P>0.05) in both groups. Conclusion: Co-infections of HIV and hepatotropic viruses do occur. Haematological and biochemical parameters serve as pointers for early detection of liver disease in HIV patients. The development of novel therapeutic approaches to impede co-infection of HIV and hepatotropic viruses is encouraged.