Basic Coagulation Profiles and Platelet Count Among Schistosoma mansoni-Infected Adults Attending Sanja Primary Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

PURPOSE: To assess basic coagulation profiles and platelet count among Schistosoma mansoni-infected and non-infected adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2019 at Sanja Primary Hospital, northwest Ethiopia. A total of 200 adults (100 cases and 100 controls) were enrolled using convenient sampling technique. Both wet mount and Kato-Katz techniques were performed using a stool sample. The venous blood sample was collected to perform platelet count, basic coagulation and serological tests. The data were coded and entered into EpiData Manager (v4.4.2.1) and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Nonparametric tests were used during data analysis. P-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and international normalization ratio (INR) were significantly higher while the platelet count was significantly lower in S. mansoni-infected than healthy adults (P <0.001). There were statistically significant differences in the median [IQR] value of PT, APTT, INR and platelet count between light, moderate and heavy infected groups (P <0.05). Infection intensity had a positive correlation with basic coagulation profiles and a negative correlation with platelet count (P <0.05) of S. mansoni-infected adults. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of coagulation abnormality was higher in S. mansoni-infected adults than healthy controls. Coagulation test and platelet count should be used to monitor and manage schistosomiasis-related complications.