An account of clinical and laboratory parameters and their association with haemorrhagic complications in dengue haemorrhagic fever

Authors

  • Saba Saif
  • Nadeem Fazal
  • Fatima Saeed
  • Maqbool Alam

Abstract

Background: An alarming rise of dengue has been seen in Pakistan during the post-monsoon season of 2011. Spontaneous bleeding is a common complication of dengue and is associated with an increased mortality.

Objective: This study aims to determine clinical and laboratory profile of patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and their association with haemorrhagic complications.

Study design: A descriptive study

Place and Duration of study: Combined Military Hospital, Lahore, from August to November 2011.

Subjects and Methodology: Ninety patients with clinical and serological (positive Immunoglobulin M) diagnosis of dengue, reporting at Combined Military Hospital, Lahore during the period Aug-Nov 2011, were enrolled in the study. Clinical findings and laboratory tests (including hematocrit and platelets counts) were registered. Patients with platelet count less than 100,000/mm3 were included in study. The association between severe thrombocytopenia and the presence of haemorrhagic manifestations (positive tourniquet test, petechiae, purpura, ecchymoses, bleeding from gums, epistaxis, hematemesis, malena, and hematuria) and signs of plasma leakage (rising hematocrit), were evaluated using a Chi-square and Spearman rank correlation. P value <0.05 was  considered significant.

Results: Of the 90 patients enrolled, 87.8% had a platelet count below 45,000/mm3. Severe thrombocytopenia was associated with haemorrhagic manifestations (chi-square=7.255 and correlation= .618 p < .007) and signs of plasma leakage (chi-square=14.822 P < .05)

Conclusion: There was a strong association between thrombocytopenia, rising hematorcit and bleeding complications in dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Keywords: Dengue fever (DF), Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), Dengue shock syndrome (DSS), Haemorrhagic complications, Thrombocytopenia.

Published

03-08-2016

How to Cite

1.
Saif S, Fazal N, Saeed F, Alam M. An account of clinical and laboratory parameters and their association with haemorrhagic complications in dengue haemorrhagic fever. Pak J Pathol [Internet]. 2016 Aug. 3 [cited 2024 Apr. 18];23(4). Available from: https://pakjpath.com/index.php/Pak-J-Pathol/article/view/75

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 4 (2012)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2016 Saba Saif, Nadeem Fazal, Fatima Saeed, Maqbool Alam

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