Coagulation Properties of Blood in Healthy University Students in Port Harcourt

Abstract

Despite the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) had provided an average global reference data of Coagulation Properties (CP) of blood in the world, available statistics still suggest a significant discrepancy in CPs of blood among various age groups, socioeconomic classes and races in different locations of the world. Here in Port Harcourt Nigeria, absence of such local reference data had continued to pose over-reliance on the WHO global standards without recourse to our distinctive geospatial and socioeconomic peculiarities. As a result, this study therefore investigated coagulation properties of blood in healthy university students in Port Harcourt. A total of 157 participants were recruited into the study using Stratified Random Sampling techniques. They were administered well-structured questionnaires for an on-the-spot data collections. Thereafter, 5ml of venous blood were aspirated for various coagulation properties (Bleeding, clotting and Prothrombin times and Platelets Counts) investigation. Clotting and bleeding times were measured instantly using capillary and Ivy’s methods respectively. Results from the study revealed a significant (ρ≤0.05) coagulation difference between the WHO standards and both gender (male, 311032 ± 17300* and female, 293600 ± 12800*) for platelets counts. In the age groups, only ≥40 group were significant to all CP (10.30 ± 0.00* for BT, 10.00 ± 1.30* for CT, 10.22 ± 2.88* for PT and 190320.73 ± 1886.45* for PC). Similar significant result was also noted for Obese Class 2, morbid obesity and protein diet groups as compared with the Control. This study therefore concluded that CP significantly vary with the WHO standards, age, gender, BMI and nutritional background and recommended similar study be conducted in other locations in Nigeria and Africa.