CORRELATION BETWEEN ANAEMIA AND THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN YOUNGER PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA

Abstract

Background: Thrombocytopenia needs careful attention of the physician for immediate management to avoid complications. Limited local data is available on low platelet count among patients of all age group on diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and correlation of anaemia and liver function tests with thrombocytopenia among patients diagnosed with ALL. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with ALL at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. Age, gender, presence of anaemia and deranged liver function tests were correlated with low platelet count in patients with ALL. Results A total of 90 patients diagnosed with ALL at the department during the study period were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 15.43±4.756 years. Among these, 64 (71.1%) were male and 26 (28.9%) patients were female. Low platelet count was observed in 41 (45.5%) of the patients while 49 (54.5%) had platelet count within the range. Low haemoglobin levels were strongly related to presence of low platelet count in our target population (p<0.001). Deranged liver functions were not significantly correlated to thrombocytopenia in patients with ALL. Conclusion: Low platelet count was a common finding at the time of diagnosis among patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Presence of anaemia was statistically significantly correlated with presence of low platelet count among the patients at the time of diagnosis of ALL.

Pak J Physil 2021;17(2):7–9