Changes in Electrolyte Levels in Malaria Patients in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

The present study was designed to assess the blood electrolytes (Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate) values in healthy volunteers and some malaria patients of males and females categories and to compare between them. The study aimed to examine possible changes in electrolyte levels of healthy volunteers and malaria patients in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. The subjects were 120 healthy staff and student adults between 18-50 years of the University community and 120 patients of the University teaching hospital randomly selected. 5mls of blood sample were collected separately from ante cubital vein of each of the study subjects. The serum electrolytes determined were sodium, potassium and chloride (Ion Selective Electrode method); calcium (Randox method) and phosphorus (Phosphomolybdate method).  Measurements of results were analyzed using statistical data analysis. The mean values of Sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium in healthy volunteers were higher compared to those of malaria patients. Phosphorous were higher in the malaria patients compared to the healthy volunteers. The results obtained showed a significant difference at p < 0.05 significant level between healthy and malaria individuals for various blood electrolytes. We can thus conclude that healthy volunteers and malaria patient blood electrolytes is significantly different.