Expression of Rh-C, Rh-c Antigens and Platelets Indices in an Undergraduate Student’s Population in Port Harcourt Nigeria

The Rhesus blood group system remains the second most clinically significant blood group system after the ABO blood group system in transfusion medicine with high prevalence of its antigens clinically implicated in transfusion reactions and haemolytic disease of the new born. Platelets indices and Platelet/lymphocyte ratio is an inexpensive biomarker for accessing platelets activation, novel inflammatory marker for predicting inflammation. This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine Rh-C, Rh-c antigens, platelets indices and platelets/lymphocyte ratio amongst apparently healthy undergraduate student’s population in Port Harcourt Nigeria. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) students comprising of 76 males and 74 females aged between 17-30 years were recruited for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain the demographic information of each participant. Five millilitres (5 ml) of blood was collected from each participants using standard venipuncture techniques. Rh-C and Rh-c blood group antigens was determined using the Micro-titre agglutination technique; Platelet indices was assayed using Mindray automated analyzer and platelet/lymphocyte ratio calculated from the full blood count results. Data obtained was statistically analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23. Amongst the 150 participants studied, 123 (82%) expressed the Rh-c while 31 (20.6%) expressed Rh-C antigens indicating that the Rh-c is more prevalent in the population. Mean±SD of Platelets count, Mean Platelets Volume (MPV), Platelets Distribution Width (PDW) and Plateletcrits (PCTs) in male and females were (210.9±6.94 versus 239.8±9.22fl); (9.74±0.77% versus 10.51±1.38%); (15.99±0.44 versus 15.8±0.45fl) and (0.21±0.06%, versus 0.25±0.07%) in the same order. This study has successfully provided prevalence rate for Rh-C and Rh-c antigens; baseline data/reference interval for Platelet Indices and Platelet/Lymphocyte ratio amongst undergraduate students of Rivers State University. It is therefore recommended that screening for Rh-C and Rh-c antigens be carried out on students prior to transfusion and Platelet indices and Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratio be accessed in cases of coagulation and inflammatory disorders in order to guide therapy.

Keywords: Rhesus Antigens, Platelets Indices, Platelets/Lymphocyte Ratio.