Whether Platelet Count Really Influences the Outcome of Dengue Patients? A Study Done at Tertiary Care Centre in North Karnataka Region

ABSTRACT

In many parts of India, Dengue has become a major public health problem and Kalaburagi District in North Karnataka region was previously not known to be an endemic area for dengue. Three clinical syndromes, classic dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome are seen with dengue virus infection. This present study was undertaken to find out whether platelet count really influences the outcome of dengue patients in a tertiary health care centre in Kalaburagi, Karnataka.METHODSAbout hundred patients admitted in our hospital with positive Dengue NS1 and Dengue IgM were selected. The follow up of patients is done from the onset of fever to up to twelve days or until their recovery according to discharge criteria of WHO whichever of them is earlier.RESULTSIn this study, 100 cases were studied, out of which Dengue fever was seen in 73 cases, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever in 17 cases and Dengue Shock Syndrome in 10 cases was seen based on WHO criteria. In this study, 99 percent patients had fever. In this study 73 percent of patients were Dengue NS1 Positive and 27 percent of patients were Dengue IgM Positive. In present study, continuously increasing pattern of platelet count was seen in 55 percent cases; initial fall then rise of platelet count was seen in 38 percent cases and persistently low pattern of platelet count was seen in 7 percent cases. This study showed that 30 percent of patients had bleeding manifestations and bleeding manifestations were maximum in patients having low platelet counts. In the present study, 92% cases improved and 8% cases expired.CONCLUSIONSAmong the three clinical syndromes, Dengue fever was more common than dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. It was found that platelet count influenced the outcome of dengue patients. Management of dengue case is mainly supportive