Gallbladder edema in Dengue hemorrhagic fever and its association with haematocrit levels and type of infections.

OBJECTIVE

To determine gallbladder edema with type of Dengue infection and hematocrit level.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed on 225 cases of DHF admitted from January to December 1997 to determine the association between the type of Dengue infection, hemoconcentration and the presence or absence of gallbladder edema. Primary or secondary types of Dengue infection consider to determine the severity and degree of plasma leakage in dengue hemorrhagic fever. The Chi square and Spearman 's tests were performed to establish association between variables.

RESULTS

out of 225 cases of DHE 129 cases were found with the following dengue serology test results: 92 IgM positive and 37 negative. Abdominal ultrasound was performed in 57 cases, revealing gallbladder edema in 17 cases and none in 40 cases. The 57 cases were classified as primary dengue cases (positive IgMA), secondary dengue(positive IgM and IgG), or seronegative (negative IgM). Primary dengue was found in 5 cases with gallbladder edema and 15 cases without (25%). In the secondary dengue group,10 cases were found with gallbladder edema and 8 cases without (55.5%), while in the non-Dengue group, there were 2 cases with gallbladder edema and 17 cases without (10.5%). There was association between the development of gallbladder edema and the type of dengue infection(p=0.010). Gallbladder edema was more common in secondary Dengue (55%). There was a tendency for gallbladder edema in patients with higher increases in hematocrit.

CONCLUSIONS

It conclude that gallbladder edema is more common in cases of secondary dengue and that there is a tendency for gallbladder edema with higher increase of hematocrit.