Variation in common serum lipid parameters in patients with malaria: A 1-year cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Variations in serum lipid parameters are commonly and ubiquitously reported in patients with malaria. Different host cell lipid-dependent processes have been observed in the life cycle of the malarial parasite Plasmodium. Aim: The present study was undertaken to assess the serum lipid profile in patients with malaria. Materials and Methods: This 1-year cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2013 to December 2013 at the Department of Medicine. A total of 50 adult patients with positive-smear and quantitative buffy coat test for malaria, as well as with clinical features of malarial infection, were investigated for serum lipid profile changes. Patients on lipid-lowering drugs were excluded from the study. Fasting lipid profile estimation was performed using fully-automated Siemens Dimension Clinical Chemistry System for total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides. Data were analyzed using the independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results: Majority (86%) of the patients were positive for Plasmodium vivax. Thrombocytopenia was observed in 64% of the patients. Serum lipid profile estimation in these patients revealed that 60% of the patients had low total cholesterol levels (100–150 mg/dL), 56% of patients had low-LDL levels ( 150 mg/dL). Interestingly, patients with low-LDL cholesterol level had low-platelet count (51.25 ± 29.67;P = 0.035). Conclusion: Patients with malaria infections may have lipid parameters alteration in terms of hypocholesterolemia, low-HDL and -LDL levels, and hypertriglyceridemia.