Abstract:
Objective: To find out the frequency of blood cytopenias among the relapsers, non
responders and responders to traditional therapy of Hepatitis C in a tertiary care hospital
of Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study.
Place and Duration of Study: Hematology and Gastroenterology departments of Military
Hospital, Rawalpindi, for a period of one year, from August 2014 to July 2015.
Methodology: After six months of treatment with conventional interferons and ribavirin
5mL blood was obtained in EDTA bottles from responders, relapsers and non-responders in
laboratory, and was analyzed using Hematology Analyzer sysmex KX-21. The hemoglobin
levels, total leukocyte counts and platelet counts were measured. The results were
entered into SPSS 16 and the analysis for descriptive statistics was applied for finding out
the frequencies.
Results: A total of 380 patients were studied, out of which 204 were non-responders,
52 were responders and 121 were relapsers. Ninety eight patients [25.9%] had anemia,
12 [3.2%] had leukopenia and 48 [12.7%] had thrombocytopenia. Among non
responders, 56 [27.5%] had anemia, 7 [3.4%] had leukopoenia and 31 [15.2%] had
thrombocytopenia. Among responders, 16 [30.8%] had anemia, 2 [3.8%] had
leukopoenia and 4 [7.7%] had thrombocytopenia. Among relapsers, 26 [21.5%] had
anemia, 3[2.5%] had leukopoenia and 13 [10.7%] had thrombocytopenia.
Conclusions: Anemia is most common among relapsers, non-responders and responders,
while leukopenia is least commonly seen. Thrombocytopoenia occurs more commonly
among non-responders and least commonly among responders.
