The impact of a program for strengthening dengue hemorrhagic fever case management on the clinical outcome of dengue hemorrhagic fever patients.

This study compared the case fatality ratio (CFR) of dengue shock syndrome (DSS) patients admitted to Buri Ram Hospital, an area with CFR of 0.11, 0.43 and 0.23% in 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively, to obtain a provincial model for dengue case management using the I. development of a special program for strengthening dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) case management (No deaths in DSS patients), II. a retrospective review of the medical records of dengue fever (DF), DHF and DSS patients referred to Buri Ram Hospital. We compared the data during the 3 periods of the implementation of this program. Data was statistically analyzed using chi2 or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, one-way ANOVA for continuous data with normal distribution and Kruskal-Wallis test for nonparametric variables. The numbers of DF, DHF and DSS cases in Buri Ram were 1332, 1700 and 1630 person, respectively, during 2006-2008. The number of DSS patients increased after implementation of the program: 12.2, 51.2 and 47.22 for 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively, but the complications of the disease decreased. The CFR during 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 0.15, 0 and 0.06% (p > 0.05). The program for strengthening DHF case management did improve clinical outcomes in dengue patients after the implementation. The CFR in 2008 was only 0.06%, lower than the goal of the Ministry of Public Health (<0.13%). This program is still running, sustaining low CFR in dengue patients. It may be used as a model for other provinces in Thailand that have high dengue deaths.