Rescue therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin in severe refractory dengue: A pilot study

Abstract

BackgroundSevere dengue causes more than 22,000 deaths annually worldwide. Complicated dengue has high mortality of 44–72%. Disordered immune system with capillary leak and thrombocytopenia are hallmark of complicated dengue. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IV Ig) therapy has shown to be effective in complicated dengue in pediatric age group with refractory shock, but studies in adults are lacking. Its immunoresuscitative role is not yet fully explored in critically ill patients with severe dengue. MethodsThis is retrospective observational study of patients with complicated dengue fever who were administered IV Ig therapy in a tertiary care hospital of southern India from 01 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2019. ResultsA total of 999 patients with dengue were admitted; 754 (75.47%) were males, and 245 (24.53%) were females. A total of 402 (40.24%) patients presented with warning signs. Bleeding was seen in 121 patients (12.11%); 102 (10.21%) had shock; 29 (2.90%) had acute kidney injury and 24 (2.40%) had adult respiratory distress syndrome. Overall, four people died (mortality rate: 0.40%). IV Ig in the dose of 0.4 g/kg for 5 days was used in 13 critically ill patients where standard therapy failed, 9 patients with refractory shock (which included three with myocarditis with refractory shock), 2 with encephalitis, 2 in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Two patients died, one with myocarditis with refractory shock and another with refractory shock. ConclusionIV Ig therapy in critically ill patients with complicated dengue can be used as a rescue therapy.