Evaluation of Hematological Parameters in Patients with Dengue Fever: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Dr Aparna Manjarkhede

Article Details

Evaluation of Hematological Parameters in Patients with Dengue Fever: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Authors:

Dr Aparna Manjarkhede

Publisher:

Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice (JCCP)

Journal:

Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice Vol.3 Issue 2, pp.117-123

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2017

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001613776

pISSN:

2457-7200

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Background: Dengue fever is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral infection worldwide, and its clinical course is closely mirrored by characteristic alterations in the complete blood count. Hematological parameters are inexpensive, widely available, and useful for early diagnosis, severity stratification, and monitoring of dengue infection. Objective: To evaluate haemoglobin, total leukocyte count, differential leukocyte count, platelet count, haematocrit, and other haematological indices in patients with serologically confirmed dengue fever, and to correlate these parameters with disease severity according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2009 classification. Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Pathology in collaboration with the Department of General Medicine over a twelve-month period. Two hundred and twenty patients with NS1 antigen- and/or IgM-positive dengue fever were enrolled. Complete blood counts were performed on an automated haematology analyser at admission and correlated with clinical severity, classified as dengue without warning signs (DWoWS), dengue with warning signs (DWWS), and severe dengue (SD). Statistical comparisons were made using the chi-square test and one-way ANOVA, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Of 220 patients (mean age 32.6 ± 13.8 years; 58.6% male), 128 (58.2%) had DWoWS, 71 (32.3%) had DWWS, and 21 (9.5%) had SD. Thrombocytopenia (platelet count <150 × 10⁹/L) was present in 184 patients (83.6%) overall and in 100% of severe dengue cases, with mean platelet count falling progressively across severity groups (167.4 ± 42.6 vs 88.3 ± 31.5 vs 38.6 ± 18.2 × 10⁹/L; p<0.001). Leukopenia (<4.0 × 10⁹/L) was observed in 121 patients (55.0%) and was significantly more frequent in severe dengue. Mean haematocrit rose significantly with severity (38.4 ± 4.1% vs 42.7 ± 5.3% vs 47.9 ± 6.0%; p<0.001), and a haematocrit rise ≥20% above baseline was recorded in 76.2% of severe dengue patients. Atypical lymphocytosis and a reversed neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were significantly associated with the later febrile phase and with severe disease. Conclusion: Progressive thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and haemoconcentration, particularly when occurring together, are strongly associated with dengue severity and provide a simple, low-cost, and widely accessible means of risk-stratifying patients with dengue fever. Routine and serial monitoring of these parameters should be incorporated into clinical decision-making, especially in resource-limited settings.

Article Details

Evaluation of Hematological Parameters in Patients with Dengue Fever: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Authors:

Dr Aparna Manjarkhede

Publisher:

Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice (JCCP)

Journal:

Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice Vol.3 Issue 2, pp.117-123

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2017

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001613776

pISSN:

2457-7200

dengue fever

haematological parameters

thrombocytopenia

leukopenia

haematocrit

severity.

Issues

Article Details

Evaluation of Hematological Parameters in Patients with Dengue Fever: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Authors: Dr Aparna Manjarkhede

Publisher: Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice (JCCP)

Journal: Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice Vol.3 Issue 2, pp.117-123

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 8/2017

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001613776

pISSN: 2457-7200

dengue fever

haematological parameters

thrombocytopenia

leukopenia

haematocrit

severity.

Issues

Authors:

Dr Aparna Manjarkhede

Publisher:

Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice (JCCP)

Journal:

Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice Vol.3 Issue 2, pp.117-123

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2017

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001613776

pISSN:

2457-7200