Abstract:
This is descriptive case control study, from April 2013 to April
2014,aimed to determine the effect of khat chewing on CBC
parameters in Yemen – sana,a .The 329 blood samples were
collected from selected were adult Yemenis healthy individuals
(289 male and 40 females) at age range between 18-65 =years.
Informed consent was obtained from participants (269 khat
chewers and 60 control), then 5ml of venous blood was collected
in EDTA container, was withdrawn to investigate CBC component
for each participant following a well design questionnaire .The
result of this study showed that, the means values for Hb , PCV ,
RBC ,WBC , MCV , M,CH , MCHC and RDW were
15.63g/dl,
47.02%, 5400000c/cmm, 6.400 mm3, 84.61 fl, 28.61 pg , 32.83
g/dl , and 14.32 % respectively. This results indicated that the
mean values of CBC components were not statistically different
from that of control (P >0.05), except the platelets count (P
<0.05). The result also showed that the blood film was normal in
all individuals except platelets in some cases were inadequate
(less than normal). The results of khat consumption when
combined to smoking showed that the mean values of Hb, PCV,
RBC and platelets count were statistically different from that of
control. The study also found no associated between duration of
khat chewing, dose of khat on one hand and change on values of
tested CBC components on the other. The result of the study
showed that, the mean values for differential count white cell
Nutro, Lymph and Mono, were 49.82%, 38.89% and 6.59%
respectively. This results indicated that the mean values of
differential count white cell were not statistically different from
that of control (P >0.05), except the Eosnophil count (P <0.05)
This study concluded that, khat consumption has no effect on all
haematological parameters except reduced platelets, the action of
khat was affected by duration but not affected by gender, and
does of khat consumption has no effect on all CBC parameters
tested in this study.