Hematological Changes among Sudanese Patients with Acute Viral Hepatitis B

Abstract

Background: Viral hepatitis B is a common cause of liver disease with considerable morbidity and mortality throughout the world. As the liver is responsible for producing many haemopoietic factors and performs many critical functions that affect metabolism throughout the body, haematological alterations are commonly detected in the setting of acute hepatitis. The aim of this study is to determine the haematological complications in patient with acute viral hepatitis B, a thing that can help in treatment and follow up of such patients. Materials and Methods: The current study was a descriptive cross-sectional one. It included forty nine subjects of diagnosed with acute hepatitis B recruited from the out-patient hepatology clinics of Ibnsina, Dr Fatima Farah private clinic and the out-patient clinics of the military hospital. The cases were defined as acute hepatitis B based on elevated liver function tests, HBsAg and HBeAg positivity determined by Enzyme-linked Immune Sorbent Assay (ELISA). The hematology analyzer (Sysmex) in addition to thin blood film were used to asses there full blood count. Results: Anaemia was detected in 57% of patients (80% of female and 47% of male), macrocytosis in 2.04%, microcytosis in 22.45%, leucopenia in 12.24%, leucocytosis in 8.16%, neutrophilia in 10.20%, lymphocytosis in 40.72%, and thrombocytopeniain10.20%). Conclusion: Haematological alteration were encountered as  extrahepatic complications following acute hepatitis B. Anaemia was seen in more than half of cases with acute hepatitis B along with abnormalities inother blood lineages. It is recommended that haematological tests are to be included as part of the diagnostic and follow up packages for acute hepatitis B infection, in order to avoid fatal haematologic extrahepatic complications.