Author(s)

Aloy-Amadi Oluchi C.^1*, Mbakwe Chimuanya L.¹, Emeka-Obi Obioma R.², Nwagbaraocha Melvina A.¹, Nnadozie Agatha C.¹, Nwabaji Peace A.³

Affiliation(s)

¹Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.

²Department of Haematology, College of Medicine, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.

³Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rhema University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.

Corresponding Author

Aloy-Amadi Oluchi C.

ABSTRACT

Chronic pneumonia is a condition characterized by ongoing inflammation of the lungs that lasts for an extended period. The study investigated alterations of haemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total white blood cell, and differential counts in patients with chronic pneumonia in Imo state. One hundred (100) subjects were recruited for the research study; 50 adult patients diagnosed with chronic pneumonia attending Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Owerri during the study period, and 50 apparently healthy non-chronic pneumonia subjects, who served as controls. Four milliliters of blood samples were collected aseptically, and prepared by standard methods prior to use. The estimation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was done by Westergren method, while that of haemoglobin, total white blood cell and differential white cell counts were done using haematology autoanalyzer. The study found that chronic pneumonia patients had a significantly higher mean Hb levels (11.67 ± 0.98) g/dl compared to non-chronic pneumonia patients (10.96 ± 0.78) g/dl (p=0.009) and a significantly lower mean ESR (26.03 ± 11.84) mm/hr compared to non-chronic pneumonia subjects (38.40 ± 24.49) mm/hr (p=0.021). Chronic pneumonia patients had a non-significant lower mean TWBC (13.08 ± 14.63) x109/L compared to the control group (13.17 ± 1.59) x109/L (p=0.977). Chronic pneumonia patients had a non-significant lower percentage of neutrophils (70.60 ± 11.6) and a non-significant lower percentage of lymphocytes (28.10 ± 12.66) compared to the control group (neutrophils: 76.65 ± 13.64, lymphocytes: 22.85 ± 12.67) (p=0.100, 0.157). There were no significant differences in the mean percentages of eosinophils and monocytes between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the mean values of Hb, ESR TWBC, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils and monocytes in chronic pneumonia patients when compared based on Sex. These findings suggest that haematological parameters may be useful in monitoring and managing chronic pneumonia patients and chronic pneumonia patients may be more likely to develop anaemia and have elevated ESR and TWBC. 

KEYWORDS

Pneumonia; Haemoglobin; Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; Total white blood cell; Differential counts

CITE THIS PAPER

Aloy-Amadi Oluchi C., Mbakwe Chimuanya L., Emeka-Obi Obioma R., Nwagbaraocha Melvina A., Nnadozie Agatha C., Nwabaji Peace A. Alterations of haemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total white blood cell, and differential counts in patients with chronic pneumonia in Imo state. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research. 2024, 6(4): 27-31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61784/jpmr3020.

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