Volume : 2, Issue : 2, February - 2013

Malarial Hepatopathy

Dr. Babita Raghuwanshi , Dr. Preshant Shrivastava

Abstract :

Introduction: Liver is the first organ to be affected in a case of malaria. The term malarial hepatopathy appears to be a more appropriate one to describe hepatocellular dysfunction in cases of malaria. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the clinical & biochemical changes in patients of malaria with hepatopathy and patients of malaria without hepatopathy so that specific treatment can be provided. Methods: – A total number of 40 patients both male & female irrespective of age and suffering from jaundice & evidence of malaria on peripheral smear & positive malaria antigen card test were selected as a study group. The malaria was tested by: Peripheral smear, malaria antigen card test. Complete blood picture, platelet count was done by fully automatic cell counter. Evidence of jaundice & hepatopathy was tested by estimating serum levels of Total Bilirubin, Direct & Indirect bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, Alkaline phosphatase, Total protein, Albumin, Globulin. Urea, creatinine, sodium & potassium levels were also measured. Chi square test x2  = 1.343 was used to calculate p value which was considered insignificant when the value were > 0.05 Results: The total serum bilirubin levels were < 3 in 42 % patients and > 3 in 58 % patients. The conjugated bilirubin levels were raised to > 3 in 90 % patients. The mortality observed with malaria hepatopathy in our study was 6 %. Conclusions: The mortality too was higher in patients with malarial hepatitis. The mortality associated with conjugated bilirubin & malaria hepatopathy is significant.