Haematologic Profile of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Port Harcourt, South-South Nigeria

Aim: The objective of this study is to assess the haematological profile of our patients with chronic kidney disease.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional case-control study.

Place and Duration of Study: University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State Nigeria 2015.

Methodology: A total of 186 subjects with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were enrolled at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH); among these, 124 subjects had received more than one unit of blood within one month or more than ten units of blood within three months. The remaining 62 CKD subjects (control population) have never been transfused. Complete blood count, serum creatinine and urea levels were determined for all participants. Estimated GFR (eGFR) was calculated using the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula.

Results: The red cell count, haemoglobin, haematocrit and red cell indices were decreased in all the study participants with chronic kidney disease. The mean haemoglobin, haematocrit and red cell count were found to be significantly lower in the multiply transfused patients compared to the non-transfused patients. Serum creatinine showed negative correlation with red cell count, haemoglobin and haematocrit in the study population.

Conclusion: The study shows that anaemia was present in all subjects, and was inversely proportional to the severity of chronic kidney disease in this setting.