Adult dengue haemorrhagic fever at Kuala Lumpur Hospital: retrospective study of 102 cases

A retrospective study involving 102 adults with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) was conducted to investigate the demographic aspect, clinical presenting features, laboratory investigations, complications, and mortality associated with the disease. The clinical diagnosis of DHF was in accordance with WHO recommendations. Epistaxis, gingivitis, haematemesis and gastritis were among the common complications. Platelet levels tended to decline from a higher value on admission (mean 67,000/mm3) to lower levels on subsequent days, with the lowest (mean 61,000/mm3) being on day 6 of the fever. Hyponatraemia (46.8%) was commonly observed. Morbidity of DHF was significant (29.4%) but the case fatality rate remained low (2.0%) in our adults, suggesting that adults are less likely than children to suffer from shock syndrome.