Frequency of HCV induced thrombocytopenia in Southern Punjab

Objective: To determine the frequency of HCV induced thrombocytopenia in Southern Punjab Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration: Department of Medicine, Sir Sadiq Khan Abbasi Hospital (Civil Hospital) Bahawalpur. Six months (September 2021 to March 2022) Methodology: Total 264 patients of hepatitis C, both male and female having age 20-70 years were recruited. History was taken and clinical examination was done. Blood sample was taken and send to hospital laboratory for platelet count. Results: Mean age was 40.88 ± 12.94 years. Among 264 patients of HCV, thrombocytopenia was found in 75 (28%) patients. Total 75 (28%) patients were hypertensive and 189 (72%) patients were non-hypertensive. Diabetics were 67 (25%) and non-diabetics were 197 (75%). In age group 20-45 years, thrombocytopenia was noted in 53 (29.61%) patients while 22 (25.88%) patients of age group 46-70 years were found with thrombocytopenia. Statistically insignificant association between thrombocytopenia and age group was detected (P = 0.530). Thrombocytopenia was noted in 45 (29.41%) males and 30 (27.03%) females. Association of Thrombocytopenia with gender was not significant with p value 0.671. Conclusion: Present study showed a higher proportion of thrombocytopenia in cases of hepatitis C. Most of the infected patients were males and higher number of patients related to age group 20-45 years. No association of development of thrombocytopenia with age group, gender and diabetes mellitus was detected. Keywords: Liver cirrhosis, thrombocytopenia, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma