ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the clinico-epidemiological profile and predictors of poor outcome in an outbreak of diphtheria. Methods: Records of 390 children admitted with the diagnosis of clinical diphtheria in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Nuh, Haryana, from January, 2018 to December, 2020 were analysed with respect to demographic details, immunization status, clinical features, complications and mortality. Patients were divided into survivors and nonsurvivors, and various variables were compared between the two groups to identify the factors associated with poor outcome. Results: Out of 390 cases, data of 318 (81.5%) was included. Young children (median age 5 year) were predominantly affected, and only 8 (2.5%) children were fully immunized. Pseudomembrane was present in 245 (77%) cases. Albert staining and culture were positive in 84.6% (269) and 12.9% (41) cases, respectively. Complications developed in 48.4% (n=154) cases and included: airway compromise 22.6% (n=72), diphtheritic cardiomyopathy 12.9% (n=41), acute kidney injury 3.7% (n=12), thrombocytopenia 8.5% (n=27) and hepatitis 0.6% (n=2) cases. Anti-diphtheritic serum (ADS) was administered to all admitted patients. Tracheostomy was done in (n=57) (17.9%) children. Case fatality rate was 17.9%. Conclusion: Diphtheria mostly affected young unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children. Mortality was high in unimmunized or partially immunized young children and those with bull neck, pseudomembrane, delayed (?5 days) administration of ADS, acute kidney injury, thrombocytopenia and leukocytosis. Myocarditis was strongly associated with high mortality.