Ajay Khandal^1,, D. Raghuraman²

Infectious diseases including Dengue illness remains the commonest cause of hospitalization in Indian settings. It is a significant global public health problem, with 2.5 billion world's population at risk and an estimated 50 to 390 million annual infections. Clinically, dengue illness manifestation varies from asymptomatic state to severe symptomatic disease. Symptomatic disease events in turn range from self-limiting dengue fever (DF) to severe dengue. Severe dengue, manifests as; dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), hypovolemic shock—dengue shock syndrome (DSS) or severe organ impairment. Thrombocytopenia is a common element to both dengue fever and severe dengue; and clinicians, unfortunately, tend to ‘react' to thrombocytopenia with platelet transfusions at predetermined platelet thresholds. Readily available lab parameters to guide the clinician of impending platelet recovery is needed, one such parameter gaining recent interest is Platelet Indices (PIs): mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). Serially observing mean platelet volume along with Platelets might be valuable, with a rising trend in MPV suggesting platelet and patient recovery.

dengue, thrombocytopenia, dengue cost of hospitalization, thrombocytopenia mechanisms