Heart failure after dengue infection- a population-based self-controlled case-series study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Dengue infection is associated with major cardiovascular events (MACEs), with heart failure (HF) being the most common.
• Previous assessments of HF as a MACE in dengue infection have been limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between dengue infection and the risk of developing heart failure (HF).

Main Methods:

• A self-controlled case-series study design was employed, linking infectious disease data with national health insurance claims.
• Laboratory-confirmed dengue cases hospitalized for HF within one year (2009-2015) in Taiwan were analyzed.
• Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for HF were calculated for the first 7 and 14 days post-dengue infection using conditional Poisson regression.

Main Results:

• Among 65,906 dengue patients, 230 were hospitalized for HF within a year.
• The IRR for HF admission in the first week post-dengue was 56.50, highest in individuals over 60 years.
• Risk was significantly higher in hospitalized dengue patients (IRR 75.35) compared to non-hospitalized cases (IRR 8.61).

Conclusions:

• Dengue infection poses a significant risk for acute heart failure (HF) within one week, especially in older adults (>60 years), males, and those hospitalized for dengue.
• These findings underscore the importance of heightened awareness for HF diagnosis and prompt, appropriate treatment in dengue patients.