ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by Leptospira interrogans. It is endemic in many parts of the world. The symptoms vary between milder forms to severe type with organ dysfunction. The disease presents with diagnostic challenge as it clinically mimics acute febrile illness due to other causes. AIM: To study serial changes in complete blood counts in patients with leptospirosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospectively collected data was prospectively studied for clinical and laboratory data of leptospirosis patients proven by raised IgM titres by ELISA on day 2 (counted from day of admission of patient to hospital) of unexplained fever. The changes in complete blood counts from admission upto the discharge of the patient were studied. SPSS version 13 (SPSS Inc. Chicago) was used for data analysis. The collected data was analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, median, standard deviation and Mann-Whitney test. A p-value less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Mean haemoglobin concentration showed a progressive decline (<12.5 gm/dl) from day 1 to day 7 in both mild and severe disease. Platelet counts were significantly low (p=0.002), (<1,50,000 cells/mm3) in severe disease and showed a declining trend as compared to mild disease. Total leukocyte counts were significantly higher (p=0.001), (>11,000 cells/m3) in patients with severe disease from day 4 to day 5 of the illness. CONCLUSION: Complete blood count is a routine test done in the monitoring of patients with leptospirosis. Declining haemoglobin, marked thrombocytopenia and a normal to high total leukocyte count will help in early detection of severe disease and thus preventing mortality by timely management.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Haematological alterations such as anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia are frequent in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Ferritin being an acute phase reactant can be falsely elevated in lupus cases. AIM: To evaluate the haematological alterations and to re-categorise the types of anemia by soluble transferrin receptor levels in diagnosed cases of SLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 30 newly diagnosed ANA positive SLE patients was taken. Complete blood counts, ESR, reticulocyte count, coagulation studies, diluted Russel Viper Venom Test (dRVVT), mixing studies, serological tests, high sensitivity CRP along with iron profile, transferrin saturation, soluble transferrin receptor (sol TFR) levels, anti-beta2 glycoprotein1, direct and indirect Coomb's test were estimated in cases diagnosed as SLE. Clinical symptoms were co-related with and Systemic Lupus Erythaematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) was estimated. RESULTS: Anaemia was the most prevalent haematological alteration followed by thrombocytopenia. Further sub typing of anaemia was done by serum ferritin levels and using sol TFR assays. Ferritin is an acute phase reactant; it underestimated iron deficiency in patients of SLE. When sol TFR was used; patients with pure Anaemia of Chronic Disease (ACD) reduced from 68% to 26%, those with pure IDA reduced from 32% to 16% and a group with co-existing IDA & ACD (58%) was defined {Agreement=53%, p=0.09} by sol TFR which co-related with clinical response to Iron therapy in these patients. CRP was significantly raised in association with disease activity. Fever (p<0.0001), arthritis (p<0.03) were significantly related and CRP was elevated (p<0.04) in cases with high SLEDAI (severe flare). CONCLUSION: Thus, in SLE, anaemia is the most frequent hematological alteration; iron deficiencies supercede in contrast to ACD and further autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. Sol TFR emerged as a better parameter to detect iron deficiency in patients of non- haemolytic anaemia in contrast to iron profile and ferritin levels.
