Time to Platelet Recovery in Patients with Severe Dengue Post Transfusion with Fresh Frozen Plasma and Platelet-rich Concentrate versus Platelet-rich Concentrate Alone: An Observational Study

Abstract

Background and Objective: Life-threatening bleed in severe dengue may justify the need for product transfusion. Earlier, only platelet-rich concentrates were transfused but recently transfusion with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) followed by platelet rich concentrate is done as thrombocytopenia in dengue is thought to be due to a mismatch between von Willebrand factor and ADAMTS13. We aimed to see which of the above modes of transfusion hastened recovery of platelet count to more than 50,000/mm3. Methods: A retrospective observational study was done in 101 patients with dengue for10 years admitted under a single medicine unit in a tertiary center in South India. Results: The mean number of days for platelets to reach 50,000/mm3 from the day of the first transfusion was 2.5 days (n = 60) for those who received FFP and platelet-rich concentrate, whereas it was 2.4 days (n = 41) for those who received only platelet-rich concentrate alone. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in time to recovery of platelet levels between the two groups.

Keywords

• dengue
• fresh frozen plasma
• platelet
• platelet-rich concentrate
• transfusion