DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER / DENGUE SHOCK SYNDROME

Objective: To study the clinical spectrum of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) in childrenadmitted in a tertiary care center during 2011 dengue epidemic in Lahore. Setting: This study was conducted in department of PediatricsLahore General Hospital (LGH) / Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Lahore, Pakistan. Design: Retrospective descriptive study. Period: 1stAugust to 31st October 2011. Method: All the children (<18 years) with clinical features of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and Dengue shockSyndrome (DHF/DSS) admitted to the Pediatric ward Lahore General Hospital, Lahore during the period of 1st August to 31st October 2011were enrolled in the study. The clinical manifestation were recorded on a standard questionnaire form. Clinically DHF/DSS cases wereconfirmed in the laboratory by different investigations. All the patient were diagnosed, managed and discharged according to WHO protocol.Results: A total of 254 patients were admitted in the ward labeled as dengue fever (DF) clinically. Out of these 142(55.9 %) were confirmed byserology. Of 254 DF cases 37(14.57%) were labeled as DHF and 02(0.79%) as DSS on their clinical manifestations and fulfilling the WHOcriteria. 55% were male and 45%females. Common symptoms were fever seen in 100%, headache 71.79% and vomiting seen in 58.97% of thecases. The most common bleeding manifestations were epistaxis seen in 69.23% of the cases. Positive IgM was noted in 53.9% and IgG in36.6% cases. A decrease in platelet count and increase in Heamatocrit ( Hct) during stay in ward was noted. Out of 39 patients only one patientexpired (2.56%).