Bleeding outcome during a dengue outbreak in 2005 in the East-coast region of Peninsular Malaysia: a prospective study.

During a dengue outbreak in 2005 in the East-coast region of Peninsular Malaysia, one of the worst hit areas in the country at that time, we undertook a prospective study. We aimed to describe the bleeding outcome and changes in the liver and hematologic profiles that were associated with major bleeding outcome during the outbreak. All suspected cases of dengue admitted into the only referral hospital in the region during the outbreak were screened for WHO 2002 criteria and serology. Liver function, hematologic profile and severity of bleeding outcome were carefully documented. The association between symptoms, liver and hematologic impairments with the type of dengue infection (classical vs. hemorrhagic) and bleeding outcome (major vs. non-major) was tested. Dengue fever was confirmed in 183 cases (12.5/100,000 population) and 144 cases were analysed. 59.7% were dengue hemorrhagic fever, 3.5% were dengue shock syndrome and there were 3 in-hospital deaths. Major bleeding outcome (gastrointestinal bleeding, intracranial bleeding or haemoptysis) was present in 14.6%. Elevated AST, ALT and bilirubin were associated with increasing severity of bleeding outcome (all P < 0.05). Platelet count and albumin level were inversely associated with increasing severity of bleeding outcome (both P < 0.001). With multivariable analysis, dengue hemorrhagic fever was more likely in the presence of abdominal pain (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.02- 1.6) and elevated AST (OR 1.0, 95% CI 1.0-1.1) but the presence of pleural effusion (OR 5.8, 95% CI: 1.1-29.9) and elevated AST (OR 1.008, 95% CI: 1.005-1.01) predicted a severe bleeding outcome. As a conclusion, the common presence of a severe hemorrhagic form of dengue fever may explain the rising death toll in recent outbreaks and the worst impairment in liver and hematologic profiles was seen in major bleeding outcome.

Jejunal diverticulosis as the obscure cause of overt gastrointestinal bleeding.

Jejunal diverticulosis is a rare gastrointestinal condition manifested as benign outpouching from the jejunal wall. It is usually asymptomatic, but may present as obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. This condition is often found incidentally in the imaging work-up of patients with other gastrointestinal conditions. We present a case of jejunal diverticulosis in a 65-year-old gentleman with obscure overt gastrointestinal bleed.

Pahang melioidosis registry.

Melioidosis has a high annual incidence and mortality rate in Pahang, Malaysia. We initiated the first melioidosis registry in the country on 1st July 2005 to improve the management of melioidosis in the state. Continuous medical education on melioidosis was carried out in all hospitals in the state to highlight the magnitude of the disease and to educate the doctors on the treatment of the disease. All culture confirmed cases were registered and analysed. During the one-year study period from 1st July 2005 till 30th June 2006, a total of 63 patients had positive culture for Burkholderia pseudomallei. The calculated annual incidence of melioidosis in Pahang state was 4.3 per 100,000 population per year (Adult, 6.0 per 100, 000 population per year and paediatric, 1.6 per 100,000 population per year). There were 55 Malays (87.3%), three Chinese (4.8%), four aborigines (6.3%) and one Indonesian. Nine (14.3%) were less than 18 years old. The median age was 49 years (range: 1-68 years). Only one patient (1.6%) had a previous history of confirmed melioidosis. With this programme, we had observed a decline in adult mortality from 54% to 44%, although this was not statistically significant. However, culture-confirmed relapses had dropped from 19% to nil. Several measures need to be taken to decrease mortality from melioidosis in endemic countries.

Risk factors associated with development of dengue haemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome in adults in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan Kuantan.

A retrospective study was conducted to investigate 183 serologically-confirmed cases of dengue fever (DF) admitted from October 2004 to March 2005 in a large hospital in Pahang. Clinical and laboratory features, progress and outcome of these patients were analysed in order to identify risk factors associated with development of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Individually, we found that older patients, secondary dengue infection, high baseline haematocrit levels, low platelet levels and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) ratio were significant associations with bleeding tendencies. Of these risk factors, haematocrit and APTT ratio were two independent significant risk factors on multivariate analysis. Older patients with primary infection and younger patients with secondary infection had significant bleeding tendencies. We also verified the validity of the haematocrit levels suggested as cut-off levels for plasma leakage for the Malaysian population by Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines for Dengue Infection in Adults (2003).