Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: January | Volume: 3 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 5-9
Effectiveness of Platelet Transfusion in Dengue Fever
Manoharan A1, Venkatraman Janarthanam2, Rakesh Srivastava3, S Sowmya4, N Gandhi3
1Postgraduate, 2Assistant Professor, 3Professor, 4Professor and Head,
Dept. of Pathology, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital, Pondicherry.
Corresponding Author: Venkatraman Janarthanam
ABSTRACT
Background: Dengue fever has become the major public health problem caused by arboviral infection of humans which leads to thrombocytopenia in severe cases. The transfusion of platelets is indicated for the prophylaxis and treatment of haemorrhage in patients with thrombocytopenia. However, some patients do not achieve the appropriate platelet count increment following transfusion. Hence studying the efficacy of platelet transfusion by calculating Corrected count increment(CCI) and platelet percentage recovery(PPR) provides adequate knowledge and usage of platelets in life saving.
Aim: To assess the effectiveness of platelet transfusion in dengue fever.
Materials and methods: Post transfusion platelet parameters are compared with Pre transfusion parameters. The values of Platelet count, CCI and PPR are calculated.
Results: Out of 44 serologically diagnosed dengue cases who received platelet transfusion only 34 (77.3%) patients showed good response whereas 10 (22.7%) patients with bleeding manifestations, hyperpyrexia showed poor response to platelet transfusion or refractoriness.
Conclusion: Platelet transfusion did not prevent development of severe bleeding or shorten time to cessation of bleeding. Therefore, platelet transfusion should not be routinely done in the management of dengue fever. The identification of cause for non responders and treatment gives good outcome, instead of increasing the number of units of transfusion. In doing so extraneous usage of platelet transfusion can be avoided. Therefore, assessing the effectiveness of platelet transfusion can be emphasized in transfusion therapy for the development of specific guidelines for the optimal utilization of platelets.