Factors Affecting Outcome in Children with Dengue in Kolkata

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Dengue fever is a significant public health concern, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.
• Accurate diagnosis and prognosis are crucial for effective patient management.
• The revised 2009 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines provide a standardized approach to dengue diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify clinical and laboratory parameters associated with patient outcomes in children diagnosed with dengue.
• To describe the clinical presentation and laboratory findings in a cohort of dengue patients.

Main Methods:

• An observational, descriptive study was conducted on 260 children diagnosed with dengue.
• Patients were evaluated based on the 2009 WHO guidelines in a tertiary-care hospital in eastern India.
• Clinical symptoms, physical signs, and laboratory parameters were assessed.

Main Results:

• Several clinical variables, including rash, nausea/vomiting, bleeding, oliguria, capillary leak, and liver enlargement, were significantly associated with patient outcomes.
• Key laboratory variables such as rising hemoglobin, rising hematocrit, thrombocytopenia, elevated blood urea, elevated serum creatinine, elevated ALT, hypoalbuminemia, and altered cholesterol levels were also significantly linked to outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Specific clinical manifestations and laboratory abnormalities serve as important predictors of dengue patient outcomes.
• Early identification of these associated factors can aid in risk stratification and timely intervention for pediatric dengue cases.