Analysis of Liver Function Tests in Dengue Infected Patients

Dengue is a mosquito-borne infection that in recent years has become a vital disease of international public health concern. Dengue virus infections and illness when symptomatic, that patients tend to present with a significantly wide variety manifestation. The aim of the study was to gauge liver dysfunction in patients with dengue infections. To judge the impact of dengue virus infection on liver function by measuring various liver function tests in blood samples of serologically diagnosed dengue patients. This study was undertaken as an observational cross-sectional study in the period of June 2019 to October 2020. Records of 120 serologically confirmed cases of dengue infection with available biochemical liver function tests, admitted to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, were analyzed. Patients were classified as classical dengue fever (DF) - 64.1%, dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) - 24.1% and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) - 11.6%. The mean age was 36.61±14.55 years. Normal values of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) had 27.0% of patients and 73.0% had values above normal. With regard to AST 12.0% patients had normal values and 88.0% of patients had values above normal. Deranged alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin and total bilirubin was present in 72.0%, 86.0%, 57.0%, 27.0% patients respectively. The mean±SE of ALT, AST, albumin and total bilirubin were 240.38±892.60 U/L, 364.43±1948.03 U/L, 33.30±4.17 gm/L and 1.26±1.14 mg/dl respectively. The mean value of AST was significantly more than ALT. The degree of rise of ALT and AST was significantly more in DHF and DSS, as compared to DF. Mean serum ALT, AST and bilirubin values were significantly higher in patients with haemorrhage as compared to those without haemorrhage and in non-survivors. Serum albumin concentration was significantly lower in DSS than DHF or DF patients. Hepatic dysfunction was quite common altogether types of dengue infection, with AST rising significantly more than ALT. While preferentially high AST may function an early indicator of dengue infection, high ALT and bilirubin and reduce albumin may act as poor prognostic markers.