Correlation between Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Severity and Comorbid Conditions in Patients

To evaluate the relationship between the degree of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and the presence of comorbidities among hospitalized patients in a tertiary care institute in India.

This cross-sectional observational study included 350 serologically confirmed dengue adult inpatients. Patients were grouped by WHO-defined dengue fever (DHF Grades 1-3). Age, gender, dengue severity, and comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD), human immunodeficiency virus, chronic liver disease (CLD), and stroke were recorded.

Among 350 patients, 56.6% were male and 88.9% were aged under 50 years. The most prevalent classification was DHF Grade 1 at 62.6%, followed by Grade 2 at 30.9% and Grade 3 at 2.9%. Strong correlations were identified between the severity of DHF and comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, CVD, and CLD (P ≤ 0.05).

High DHF grades are linked to comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, CVD, and CLD. In dengue-endemic areas, early identification and monitoring of high-risk patients can improve care and prevent catastrophic outcomes.