Utility of Red Cell and Platelet Indices Evaluation of Severity of Dengue Infection

Abstract

Context: Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne viral illness in humans and transmitted by aedes aegypti. Infection may be asymptomatic or present with a mild febrile illness to a life-threatening shock syndrome and diagnosed by virological tests, serological tests, and complete blood count.
 Aim: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of red cell and platelet indices to assess disease activity and severity of dengue infection.
 Material and Methods: The present study was conducted at a tertiary level teaching hospital in Central Gujarat, India from November 2019 to August 2021.100 dengue positive cases and 100 controls (dengue negative case) were consecutively sampled. Epidemiological, clinical data and complete blood count were collected from online and offline registers of the Central Diagnostic Laboratory. Chi square test, independent sample T – test and Karl pearson coefficient of correlation were used for statistical analysis.
 Results: Dengue cases have frequently presented with fever 32.65% or fever with chills / rigor 66.33%, headache 37.76%, body ache 44.90% and bleeding manifestations like petechiae 5.10% and bleeding from gum, nose and rectum 5.15%. while, 18% cases have ascites and 07% cases were found to have pleural effusion in dengue positive cases. Haemoconcentration, fall in total WBC count, platelet count and plateletcrit have significant statistical association with severity of dengue infection. Platelet count was directly proportional to plateletcrit in dengue positive cases.
 Conclusion: Significant statistical association was presented between degree of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, haemoconcentration and fall in plateletcrit with severity of dengue infection whereas plateletcrit has positive correlation with platelet count in dengue infection.