A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF AETIOLOGY AND OUTCOME OF FEVER PATIENT ADMITTED IN D.M.C.H., LAHERIASARAI, DARBHANGA

Abstract

Background:The objective of this study was to describe aetiology and outcome of fever among patients in DMCH, Laheriasarai, Bihar. Methods: This was an observational, prospective study conducted in DMCH, Laheriasarai, Bihar. Between March 2019 and February 2020, adult patients admitted to the hospital with temperature ≥ 38.0°C were included consecutively and followed during the hospitalisation period. Demographic and clinical data were collected and analysed for each patient. Associations were sought between death and various clinical and demographic variables. Results: One hundred patients were included, 66 male and 34 female. Mean fever duration was 28.02days. All were having fever of more than 3 0 days duration and temp. more than 38 C and all were more than 18 yrs. of age. Informed consent was taken. Details of the sociodemographic, clinical, pathological, biochemical and radiological parameters were documented and presented as tabular, graphical and statistical means. Statistical analyses were conducted using widely available and - accepted software p value <0.05 was taken to be signicant. Conclusions: The pattern of fever aetiology found in this study would not be representative for the causes of fever in the general population. There are three main limitations explaining this. The selection of patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in India is biased as a result of factors such as severity of disease, gender and accessibility. In this study only adults were included, while children would have different fever aetiologies due to exposure and immunity. Entomological factors cause seasonal and geographical variations in vector borne diseases in India, and in our study selecting patients during a particular time period in DMCH would not incorporate such variations.