Thrombocytopenia; Frequency and Association at the Time of Diagnosis in Dengue Fever, Peshawar

Abstract

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of thrombocytopenia in dengue fever at the time of diagnosis and to see its association with age and gender. METHODOLOGY: It was a descriptive retrospective study of dengue cases admitted to the Medical Unit of Naseer Teaching Hospital Peshawar during the 2019 outbreak was performed. Only confirmed dengue by serology (IgM) or dengue NS1 (Non-Specific Antigen 1) by Immunochromatographic Technique (ICT) cases were analysed. Complete Blood Count (CBC) was done for all the cases on admission and prevalence of thrombocytopenia on admission was extracted from the records. SPSS version 23 was used to analyse the data and to calculate Odds Ratio of a gender or age group to have thrombocytopenia at the presentation of dengue fever. RESULTS: A total of 69 confirmed dengue cases were admitted in Naseer Teaching Hospital in the 2019 outbreak. Out of these 69 cases, 51 (73.9%) were males and 18 (26.1%) were females. The ages of these patients ranged from 10-58 years. Fifty-one (51) patients were more than 20 years of age and eighteen (18) were 20 years or less. Thrombocytopenia (platelet count<150,000×109/L) was present in 57 (82.6%) patients. Patients older than 20 years of age were more likely to have thrombocytopenia at presentation of dengue fever OR=16, (p=0.0003), whereas difference amongst genders in this regard was not statistically significant OR=1.07, (p=0.09). CONCLUSION: There is a high frequency of thrombocytopenia (82.6%) in early dengue fever. Patients older than 20 years are more likely to have thrombocytopenia in early dengue fever. KEYWORDS: Dengue Fever, Acute Febrile Illness, Thrombocytopenia

Keywords

• Dengue Fever, Acute Febrile Illness, Thrombocytopenia