Biochemical indices of liver function in malaria patients

Abstract

Introduction: Malaria is a tropical disease, which has hepatocellular involvement and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality especially among children. Objective: This study investigated the biochemical indices of liver function in children infected with malaria and compared their results with healthy children (age and sex-matched). Methodology: Fifty patients (age: 5.1 ± 1.9 years) were enrolled from the Pediatrics' clinic of a tertiary health institution in Ogun state, Nigeria. Fifty age-and sex-matched apparently healthy children, from the same geographical location were selected as control. Examination of a thick blood film was done to confirm the presence of Plasmodium falciparum trophozoite in patients and its absence in controls. The in vitro determination of the plasma activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), plasma total and conjugated bilirubin was performed using standard methods. Data obtained were statistically analyzed using student's t-test where P of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The plasma activities of AST (34 ± 28 vs 10 ± 4 U/L) and plasma levels of total bilirubin (1.1 ± 0.7 vs 0.6 ± 0.2 mg/dL) were significantly higher in malaria patients compared with controls (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the plasma activities of ALT and ALP as well as concentration of conjugated bilirubin when compared with controls. Conclusion: This study concluded that abnormal biochemical indices of liver functions observed in malaria patients does not conclusively imply liver disease, it could be as a result of intravascular haemolysis.