ASSESSMENT OF ELECTROLYTE AND RENAL IMPAIRMENT IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH MALARIA PARASITEMIA IN ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL ABA

Medicine

Malaria morbidity and mortality has remained a major health burden in tropical Africa. Thus, malaria associated complication in pregnancy remains’ a major health problem. This study is therefore aimed at evaluating the effect of malaria on electrolytes and the renal function of pregnant women receiving antenatal care in Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba (ABSUTH). A case control study that enrolled a total of 100 pregnant women. Fifty with confirmed gestational malaria cases and 50 without malaria as control. Parameters assessed were serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium and magnesium), Renal (Urea, Creatinine). Serum was obtained from Blood sample collected from the test and control subjects which was used to determine the various parameters . These were analyzed using a chemistry automated Analyzer. Data generated were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 25), One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and students t- test. Significance level for analysis was set at P-value 0.05 (P=<0.05). Plasma urea and creatinine were significantly increased among positive cases (pregnant women with malaria parasite) compared to the control (pregnant women without malaria parasite). However, there was no significant difference in the electrolytes analyzed in the two groups, apart from Potassium level which increased slightly among the malaria positive pregnant women. It is therefore important for expectant mothers to attend antenatal to help their health care givers monitor among other things malaria parasites as to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with Malaria.

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