Master’s Degree Awarded to Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Al-Babli in Laboratory Hematology

Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Ali Al-Babli was awarded a Master’s Degree in Laboratory Hematology and Blood Transfusion with an average of (Very Good) for his thesis titled: Prevalence of Cytopenia among HIV Patients Attending HIV Center in Sana’a City, which was submitted to the Department of Laboratory Hematology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

#	Committee Members	Designation	Position
1	Prof. Hafez Abdulhameed Ahmed Al-Noud	Internal Examiner	Chair
2	Prof. Ahmed Qaed Salem	Main Supervisor	Member
3	Assoc. Prof. Mohammed Abdu Ali Muraish	External Examiner	Member

The study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia among HIV-positive patients, assess the severity of cytopenia, and identify risk factors associated with cytopenia in this patient population

The study yielded a number of key findings summarized as follows:

Cytopenia is a common hematological complication among HIV-positive patients.
Anemia was the most prevalent blood disorder among patients who had not yet initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Sana’a City, affecting 52.1% of patients, with most cases classified as mild to moderate.
Leukopenia was observed in 35.3% of patients, and most cases were mild.
Thrombocytopenia was the least common, recorded in 10.5% of patients.
Pancytopenia (simultaneous reduction of all three blood cell lines) was rare, occurring in only 4.2% of patients.

In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:

Implementing routine and comprehensive hematological screening for all HIV-positive patients at Sana’a HIV treatment center, especially women, to facilitate early detection and management of anemia.
Conducting further research to identify additional risk factors for cytopenia in this population, such as viral load, CD4 count, opportunistic infections, or co-infections.
Developing and adopting clear clinical guidelines for the management of cytopenia among HIV patients within the Yemeni healthcare system.
Raising awareness among healthcare providers about the prevalence of cytopenias—particularly leukopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia—to ensure prompt diagnosis and appropriate clinical care.
Carrying out additional studies on other hematological abnormalities in HIV patients, such as iron-deficiency anemia and lymphoma.

The defense session was attended by faculty members, researchers, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.