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A Murine Model of Dengue Virus-induced Acute Viral Encephalitis-like Disease
Published on: April 28, 2019
Cardiac involvement in dengue infection
Mitrakrishnan C Shivanthan1, Mitrakrishnan R Navinan, Godwin Roger Constantine
1National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Regent Street, Colombo, Sri Lanka. mcs627@gmail.com.
Insights
Cardiac complications in dengue infection are common and can be serious. This systematic review highlights the need for further research into the exact causes and treatments for these heart issues.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Tropical Medicine
Background:
- Dengue fever is a widespread tropical disease.
- Organ system complications, including cardiac involvement, occur with varying frequency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review existing literature on cardiac involvement in dengue.
- To understand the pathophysiology, manifestations, and potential treatments for dengue-related cardiac complications.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of scientific literature was conducted.
- Databases searched include MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus SciVerse, Google Scholar, and LILACS.
- Studies focusing on cardiac manifestations in dengue were included.
Main Results:
- Cardiac involvement in dengue is frequent and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality.
- Pathophysiological mechanisms include viral invasion, immune responses, electrolyte imbalances, and ischemia.
- Manifestations range from clinical signs to electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and enzyme abnormalities.
- Echocardiography is valuable for detecting myocardial involvement, especially in unstable patients.
Conclusions:
- Current knowledge regarding cardiac manifestations of dengue is limited.
- Further research is essential to elucidate the precise pathophysiology.
- More studies are needed to determine the efficacy of specific agents in preventing and treating cardiac complications.
Introduction:
Dengue is endemic in the tropics, and complications involving organ systems are seen with varying incidence.
Methodology:
We performed a systematic review. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus SciVerse, Google Scholar, and LILACS were searched for papers providing information on cardiac involvement in dengue.
Results:
Cardiac involvement is not uncommon in dengue infection and is often transient, but may be associated with significant morbidity and even mortality. Direct viral invasion, immune mechanisms, electrolyte imbalance, derangement of intracellular calcium ion storage, lactic acidosis, and ischemia due to hypotension all play a role in myocardial dysfunction. The manifestations of cardiac involvement include clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, cardiac enzyme, and histopathologic abnormalities. Echocardiography appears to be a useful tool for detecting myocardial involvement and should be performed in patients with electrocardiographic abnormalities or hemodynamic instability. Treatment is largely supportive, though there are some anecdotal reports of improvements with specific agents.
Conclusions:
Knowledge on cardiac manifestations in dengue is limited, and further studies are needed to establish the exact pathophysiology and role of specific agents in the prevention and treatment of cardiac complications in dengue.
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