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Published on: April 28, 2019
Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms among Pediatric In-Patients with Dengue Fever: A Case-Control Study
Von Ralph Dane M Herbuela1, Ferdinand S de Guzman2, Girly D Sobrepeña3
1Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 3, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
Insights
Pediatric dengue fever (DF) patients show higher rates of depression and anxiety. Factors like age and hospitalization duration predict these symptoms, with some children experiencing irritability and agitation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Limited data exists on psychiatric symptoms in pediatric dengue fever (DF) patients.
- Previous reports focused on adult DF patients.
- This study addresses the knowledge gap in pediatric DF psychiatric manifestations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in pediatric DF patients.
- To identify predictors associated with these psychiatric symptoms.
- To explore other psychiatric symptoms in children with DF.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted.
- Included 225 pediatric in-patients with confirmed DF and 260 healthy controls.
- The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) was administered.
Main Results:
- Depressive (13.3%) and anxiety (34.2%) symptoms were significantly more prevalent in pediatric DF patients compared to controls (3.5% and 16.2%).
- Predictors of increased symptoms included older age, family history of DF, shorter hospitalization (≤2 days), myalgia, and arthralgia.
- Irritability, agitation, visual hallucinations, and aggressiveness were reported by 26.7% of pediatric DF patients.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric DF patients exhibit depressive and anxiety symptoms linked to social and clinical factors.
- The persistence of these symptoms post-recovery and their relation to hospitalization adverse reactions require further investigation.
- Further research is necessary to fully understand the long-term psychiatric impact of DF in children.
Background:
Psychiatric symptoms have been reported in adult patients with dengue fever (DF); however, information on pediatric patients remains inadequate. We sought to identify the prevalence and predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms and identify other psychiatric symptoms among pediatric patients with DF. This case-control study involved pediatric in-patients (n = 225) who had clinical or serologic-confirmed DF and healthy school-based controls (n = 260). Participants completed the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS).
Results:
The prevalence of depressive (13.3%) and anxiety (34.2%) symptoms among pediatric patients with DF was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than that among controls (3.5% and 16.2%, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis found that age, family history of DF, ≤2 days of hospitalization, myalgia, and arthralgia were predictors of increased depressive and anxiety symptoms among the patients. Further, 26.7% of pediatric patients reported irritability, agitation, visual hallucinations, and aggressiveness.
Conclusion:
Pediatric patients present depressive and anxiety symptoms whose levels were associated with social and clinical factors. However, whether these symptoms are present only during the infection or may still persist after recovery or are brought by children's adverse reactions to hospitalization are unknown, and thus, further studies are needed.
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