Can Protein Levels Predict Severe Dengue Fever?
Author Information
Author(s): Vasanwala Farhad F, Puvanendran Rukshini, Fook-Chong Stephanie, Ng Joo-Ming, Suhail Sufi M, Lee Kheng-Hock
Primary Institution: Singapore General Hospital
Hypothesis
Can peak proteinuria determine whether a patient with dengue fever will develop dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome?
Conclusion
Peak urine protein levels could help predict severe dengue in patients, indicating the need for close monitoring and treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever had significantly higher peak protein levels compared to those with uncomplicated dengue fever.
- 96% of patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever developed significant proteinuria.
- The onset of proteinuria was closer to the day of defervescence in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever.
Takeaway
Doctors can check urine protein levels to see if someone with dengue fever might get really sick. If the protein is high, they need to watch the patient closely.
Methodology
Patients with suspected dengue fever were monitored for daily urine protein levels and classified based on WHO criteria.
Limitations
The study lacked renal biopsy to confirm glomerulonephritis and had a lag in urine collection after patient admission.
Participant Demographics
Patients included 8 with uncomplicated dengue fever and 25 with dengue hemorrhagic fever, with an average age of 34 years for DF and 43 years for DHF.
Statistical Information
P-Value
< 0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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