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Kaboré B, Post A, Berendsen MLT, Diallo S, Lompo P, Derra K, Rouamba E, Jacobs J, Tinto H, de Mast Q, van der Ven AJ. Red blood cell homeostasis in children and adults with and without asymptomatic malaria infection in Burkina Faso. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242507. [PMID: 33253198 PMCID: PMC7703889 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Asymptomatic malaria infections may affect red blood cell (RBC) homeostasis. Reports indicate a role for chronic hemolysis and splenomegaly, however, the underlying processes are incompletely understood. New hematology analysers provide parameters for a more comprehensive analysis of RBC hemostasis. Complete blood counts were analysed in subjects from all age groups (n = 1118) living in a malaria hyperendemic area and cytokines and iron biomarkers were also measured. Subjects were divided into age groups (<2 years, 2–4, 5–14 and ≥15 years old) and clinical categories (smear-negative healthy subjects, asymptomatic malaria and clinical malaria). We found that hemoglobin levels were similar in smear-negative healthy children and asymptomatic malaria children but significantly lower in clinical malaria with a maximum difference of 2.2 g/dl in children <2 years decreasing to 0.1 g/dl in those aged ≥15 years. Delta-He, presenting different hemoglobinization of reticulocytes and RBC, levels were lower in asymptomatic and clinial malaria, indicating a recent effect of malaria on erythropoiesis. Reticulocyte counts and reticulocyte production index (RPI), indicating the erythropoietic capacity of the bone marrow, were higher in young children with malaria compared to smear-negative subjects. A negative correlation between reticulocyte counts and Hb levels was found in asymptomatic malaria (ρ = -0.32, p<0.001) unlike in clinical malaria (ρ = -0.008, p = 0.92). Free-Hb levels, indicating hemolysis, were only higher in clinical malaria. Phagocytozing monocytes, indicating erythophagocytosis, were highest in clinical malaria, followed by asymptomatic malaria and smear-negative subjects. Circulating cytokines and iron biomarkers (hepcidin, ferritin) showed similar patterns. Pro/anti-inflammatory (IL-6/IL-10) ratio was higher in clinical than asymptomatic malaria. Cytokine production capacity of ex-vivo whole blood stimulation with LPS was lower in children with asymptomatic malaria compared to smear-negative healthy children. Bone marrow response can compensate the increased red blood cell loss in asymptomatic malaria, unlike in clinical malaria, possibly because of limited level and length of inflammation. Trial registration: Prospective diagnostic study: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02669823. Explorative cross-sectional field study: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03176719.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenger Kaboré
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- IRSS/Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN), Nanoro, Burkina Faso
- * E-mail: (BK); (AJV)
| | - Annelies Post
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mike L. T. Berendsen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Open Patient Data Explorative Network, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Salou Diallo
- IRSS/Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN), Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Karim Derra
- IRSS/Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN), Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | - Eli Rouamba
- IRSS/Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN), Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | - Jan Jacobs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Halidou Tinto
- IRSS/Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN), Nanoro, Burkina Faso
- Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Quirijn de Mast
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Andre J. van der Ven
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail: (BK); (AJV)
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