Clinicobiochemical Difference of Patients Presenting with Dengue and Chikungunya during Post-Monsoon Season
OC01-OC04
Correspondence
Dr. Jyotsana,
Room No G-13, Hamdard Institute of Medical Science and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062, Delhi, India.
E-mail: dr.jyotsana11@gmail.com
Introduction: India plays host to a number of vector-borne diseases, including dengue and chikungunya. Both diseases demonstrate a synchronised peak, and present with similar findings. An early accurate distinction between them is valuable for effective treatment and prevention of complications. Currently used diagnostic methods estimate either antibodies or antigens; the former are absent in the first week of disease, and testing for the latter is expensive.
Aim: To compare clinical profiles (history, examination) and laboratory parameters of patients with dengue fever and chikungunya fever.
Materials and Methods: Pre-diagnosed patients of dengue (50) and chikungunya (50) were studied to elicit patterns in clinical, haematological and biochemical profiles which may be used for differentiation. The time taken for resolution of symptoms, and complications, were studied prospectively. The data were analysed using Z-test.
Results: In both the diseases, patients present with short pyrexia (<1 week). The study found abdominal pain and bleeding significantly (p-value <0.001) more common in dengue than in chikungunya. It was discovered that joint pain and swelling was significantly (p-value <0.05) more common in chikungunya. Furthermore, leukopenia (<4000 WBCs/cumm) as well as moderate (50,000-100,000 platelets/microL) and severe (<50,000 platelets/microL) thrombocytopenia was significant for dengue. Milder (up to 3 times) SGOT and SGPT elevations were significant for chikungunya, whereas larger (>3 times) elevations were significant for dengue.
Conclusion: It may be concluded that the two diseases, despite their synchronised peak during post-monsoon season, and overlapping presenting symptoms, can be distinguished on the basis of clinical profiles of the patients, and a few basic laboratory tests. On studying a larger sample size, the presence of these associations could be determined with more certainty.