The Effect of Plasmodium falciparum Parasitemia on Serum Iron Status in Patients Treated with Quinine

Abstract

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the iron status, by hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), serum iron (SI) and serum ferritin (SF), in forty-five falciparum malaria patients without hematological disturbances. Patients with 5 parasitemia levels were compared and treated with quinine 600 mg intravenously every 8 hours for 2 days, followed by 600 mg orally every 8 hours for 5 days. No sex bias was observed. The mean parasitemia was 206.7 parasites/μl and 57.8% revealed parasitemia level 2. The mean Hb and SI values before and after treatment showed significant differences at p = 0.017, and 0.009, respectively. The Hb, Hct, SI, and SF values were not significantly related to the onset of disease and Body Mass Index (BMI). The averages of erythropoietin (EPO) in five patients before and after treatment were 23.4 mU/ml and 7.3 mU/ml, respectively.

Keywords : Plasmodium falciparum, parasitemia, iron status, quinine