Vol. 10, Issue 6, Part B (2023)

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical and hematological profile of dengue fever cases presenting to a tertiary care hospital.

Methods: This was an observational prospective study conducted at a tertiary care hospital over a period of 6 months. Patients presenting to the emergency department, outpatient departments of Medicine and Pediatrics with complaints of fever and clinical features of dengue with positive NS1 antigen test or dengue antibody serology IgM or IgG or both were included in the study. 200 patients were included in the study.

Results: Out of the total 200 patients, there were 110 men and 90 female. Out of the 90 female patients, four were pregnancy positive. The most frequent reported symptom was fever (99%) accompanied by intense joint pain and muscle pain (96%). The other symptoms reported were diarrhea (13%), skin eruptions (45%), emesis (10%), dyspnea (1.6%), cephalalgia (48%), pain behind the eyes (65%), and stomach discomfort (12%). 72 patients with DF (36%) had mild dehydration and were managed with oral rehydration treatment, whereas 20 instances with DFWS (10%) need IV fluid therapy. Out of the total 200 patients, six individuals (3%) had severe dehydration that required intravenous fluid resuscitation, petechiae in 12 cases, epistaxis in 2 cases, hematemesis in 1 case, and melena in 1 case. 5 patients had a platelet count below 10,000/cu.mm, 10 patients had a platelet count ranging from 11,000 to 20,000/cu.mm, and in 1 patient the platelet count was between 21,000 and 30,000/cu.mm.

Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that most cases of dengue fever (DF) can be effectively treated on an outpatient basis. It is important to note that the NS1 antigen test may yield false negative results if performed too early in the course of the illness. Patients with dengue fever with warning signs (DFWS) may need to be admitted to the hospital for a period of 7-14 days. While thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) is a common occurrence, only limited number of patients will require platelet transfusion. On average, patients with DFWS and severe dengue (SD) will require 3 and 12 units of platelet concentrates, respectively. Spontaneous dissection (SD) accompanied by plasma leakage and bleeding is associated with a significant risk of death.