Factors associated with severe dengue in patients from Cauca, Colombia, 2015–2021

Abstract

Introduction: The department of Cauca, Colombia, is endemic for dengue fever. The prevalence of severe dengue has consistently exceeded national indicators, highlighting the critical importance of appropriate and timely classification and treatment of patients according to dengue types. Objectives: To determine the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with severe dengue in the department of Cauca from 2015 to 2021. Methods: An observational, analytical, retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted with a population of 4,048 dengue cases. Statistically significant variables were entered into a logistic regression model. Results: Of all cases, 98.5% (n=3,987) were classified as dengue fever. Factors associated with severe dengue included: days elapsed until medical consultation (OR 5.2; 95% CI: 2.1–12.5), hypotension (OR 3.8; 95% CI: 1.3– 10.9), hepatomegaly (OR 3.2; 95% CI: 1.4–7.3), mucosal hemorrhage (OR 2.3; 95% CI: 1.2–4.6), platelet count below 100,000 (OR 3.4; 95% CI: 1.7–6.8), and fluid accumulation (OR 6.5; 95% CI: 2.6–16.2). Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive evaluation of dengue patients as a measure for early detection of warning signs and prevention of complications.

Keywords

• dengue
• dengue virus
• severe dengue