Predictors of duration and degree of third space fluid accumulation in adult patients with dengue

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fluid leakage is the hallmark of dengue shock syndrome. It is important to identify clinical and biochemical parameters which predict duration and degree of fluid leakage in dengue. METHODS: 102 patients with confirmed dengue were prospectively followed up for clinical, haematological and biochemical parameters parameters, and those were correlated with ultrasonographic evidence of third space fluid accumulation (TSFA). RESULTS: Of the 102 patients (52 males; mean age 28.3 years (SD 11.8), TSFA was detected in 34/95(36%) after hospital admission; 33/95 had pleural effusions which included all except one of 21/95 who had ascites. The majority of pleural effusions (72.7%) lasted 3 or more days and in most cases (52.4%) ascites lasted less than 3 days. Duration of pleural effusion showed a significant positive correlation with severity of body aches (assessed on a visual analogue scale) (r=0.523, p=0.001), maximum percentage rise of PCV (r=0.526, p=0.001) and maximum percentage rise of Hb (r=0.525, p=0.001). It was negatively correlated with WBC count (r= -0.361, p=0.020) and platelet count (r= -0.585, p=0.000). There was no correlation with admission weight (p=0.125), duration of fever (p=0.387), lowest pulse pressure (p=0.299), ALT(p=0.241), AST(p=0.328), average fluid intake per day (p=0.118) and fluid balance per day (p=0.129). The mean lowest WBC count of 3005/mm3 that was recorded for patients who developed bilateral pleural effusions (n=21) was significantly less (p=0.042) than the mean lowest WBC count of 4091/mm3 that was detected for unilateral effusions (n=12). There was no significant difference in other parameters between these 2 groups. Duration of ascites was significantly positively correlated with highest AST (r=0.598, p=0.002) and highest ALT (r=0.721, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: Severity of body aches on detecting effusions, maximum percentage rise of Hb and PCV, lower WBC and platelet counts seem to be associated with longer periods of TSFA. Among these, lower WBC counts appear to be more predictive of the degree of fluid leakage. Higher ALT and AST levels seem to be useful in predicting the duration of ascites. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.