Haematological Parameters in Pregnancy-induced Hypertension in Kano

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-induced-hypertension is an important cause of maternal and
perinatal morbidity and mortality. The pattern of haematological changes in PIH and their
correlation with the severity of the disease has not been well established in Kano North west
Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the haematological parameters of patients
with pregnancy-induced-hypertension, and to correlate the severity of hypertension with changes
in haematological parameters.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective case control study that assessed
haematological parameters of 200 Nigerian pregnant women. There were 100 cases with PIH and
100 controls with normal blood pressure. Haematological parameters were measured using
Swelab Alfa Haematology Autoanalyser (Boule Medical Diagnostics, Sweden).Reticulocyte
count, ESR and coagulation studies were performed manually.
RESULT; The significant difference in haematological parameters between the study and
controls were in the Mean platelet volume 8.68±0.99fl versus 8.35±0.62fl p= 0.001, absolute
neutrophil count 4.67±1.65×109/l versus 5.58±1.61×109/l p=0.001, lymphocyte count
2.40±0.98×109/l versus 2.11±0.59×109/l p=0.001, PT 17.50±3.69s versus 16.64±1.69s p=0.003,
APTT 45.67±5.16s versus 41.51±6.16s p=0.001. However, severity of hypertension was found to
have no significant effect on haematological parameters between the groups with mild
hypertension and those with severe hypertension, Hb 11.1±1.5g/dl versus11.4±1.1g/dl p=0.27,
Haematocrit 33.21±4.3% versus 33.85±3.8% p=0.43, Mean cell volume 86.8±7.6fl versus
2

87.1±6.6fl p=0.87, RDW 16.83±2.6% versus 16.61±1.4% p=0.59, WBC 7.4±2.3×109/l versus
7.9±2.5×109/l p=0.37, PLT 235.3±64.9×109/l versus 228.8±78.0×109/l p=0.66, ESR
53.9±22.0mm/hr versus 55.4±25.5mm/hr p=0.76, PT 17.2±2.2s versus 17.8±4.90s p=0.44,
APTT 40.9±5.7s versus 42.2±6.7s p=0.28.
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the study
and controls in the MPV, absolute neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, PT and APTT. However
severity of hypertension was found to have no significant effect on haematological parameters
and coagulation studies between the group with mild and those with severe hypertension