Prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time as a predictor of bleeding in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever

Eighty-nine pediatric patients admitted at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital from June to December 1992, with the clinical diagnosis of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) were studied with the following objectives: To determine the possible use of hematocrit, platelet count, prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) as predictors of bleeding and outcome in patient with DHF. The following were established: PTT can be an index in predicting bleeding in DHF. The tendency to bleed is greater with prolongation of > 30 seconds; platelet count can be a predictor of mortality, with death six times greater among those platelet count < 50,000/microliters than those whose platelet count was > 50,000/microliters. PT can also predict bleeding in patients with DHF.