CORRELATION OF LIVER FUNCTION TESTS WITH SEVERITY OF DISEASE IN CHILDREN WITH DENGUE FEVER – A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Introduction: Dengue has emerged as a notable public health problem in recent decades in terms of mortality and morbidity associated with it. The clinical spectrums of dengue illness range from undifferentiated fever, self-limiting dengue fever (DF) to more severe, life-threatening forms of the illness termed dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Recent reports have demonstrated elevated hepatic transaminases or aminotransferases [Aspartate Transaminase (AST), Alanine Transaminase (ALT)] levels in dengue infection, suggesting that the liver is one of the main targets for the dengue virus. Aims And Objectives: Ÿ To evaluate the impact of Dengue fever on liver function. Ÿ To determine whether serum transaminases can be of prognostic value in dengue fever. Materials And Methods: This hospital based prospective study correlated the liver function tests with severity of disease in children with dengue fever. It was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Mullana, Ambala among 50 children with dengue fever. The liver function enzymes were estimated and correlated with the severity of dengue fever. The student ttest was used for comparing the mean values between the 2 groups whereas chi-square test was applied for comparing the frequency using the SPSS software. Results: The mean age of the study population was 13.62±3.12 years with 76.0% males and 24.0% females. The mean SGOT and SGPT was signicantly more among DSS group at baseline and follow-up. The mean SGOT was signicantly more among DSS group at baseline and followup (681.38±796.27 and 35.88±10.62 respectively) compared to DF and DHF at baseline (123.62±151.89 and 180.82±99.56 respectively) and follow-up (26.28±3.90 and 30.77±6.19 respectively). The mean SGPT was signicantly more among DSS group at baseline and follow-up (308.13±282.13 and 45.38±14.61 respectively) compared to DF and DHF at baseline (67.93±38.37 and 106.25±49.72 respectively) and follow-up (35.31±4.38 and 38.62±6.64 respectively). Conclusion: Degree of elevation of SGOT and SGPT levels can be used to predict the severity of dengue. Hence, both elevated SGOT and SGPT level can be used as an early predictor of Severe Dengue fever.