Jen-Chieh Lee1, Cong-Tat Cia1, Nan-Yao Lee2, Nai-Ying Ko3, Po-Lin Chen4, Wen-Chien Ko5. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Center for Infection Control, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan. 3. Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, Collage of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. 4. Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Center for Infection Control, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: cplin@mail.ncku.edu.tw. 5. Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Center for Infection Control, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: winston3415@gmail.com.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The 2015 dengue outbreak in southern Taiwan caused substantial mortality. We analyzed the causes of death among these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at a medical center in Tainan from August 2015 to December 2015. Dengue was diagnosed based on the detection of serum dengue NS1 antigen, IgM, or viral RNA in the blood. Causes of death were retrieved from chart reviews by three clinicians. RESULTS: There were 4488 cases of dengue in the study hospital, with an in-hospital fatality rate of 1.3% (60 cases). The mean age of the 60 fatal cases was 73 years, among whom 90% were aged ≥65 years. Twenty-eight (46.7%) patients died of severe dengue, and 29 (48.3%) deaths were possibly related to dengue. Of the latter, 24 (40%) died of secondary infections. Thirteen cardiac arrest events, including out-of-hospital (5 events) and in-hospital (8) cardiac arrests in the emergency department, occurred during the dengue epidemic. Seven (53.8%) patients did not receive medical aid before the event. Of the 40 deaths that occurred within one week after hospitalization, 60% died of severe dengue. In contrast, 50% of 20 deaths that occurred one week after hospitalization were related to hospital-acquired infections, mainly pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Of 60 fatal cases, with a predominance of elderly patients, deaths were related to severe dengue within the first week after admission and secondary infections thereafter. The absence of medical care before cardiac arrest events highlights the importance of health education for warning signs of dengue.
INTRODUCTION: The 2015 dengue outbreak in southern Taiwan caused substantial mortality. We analyzed the causes of death among these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at a medical center in Tainan from August 2015 to December 2015. Dengue was diagnosed based on the detection of serum dengue NS1 antigen, IgM, or viral RNA in the blood. Causes of death were retrieved from chart reviews by three clinicians. RESULTS: There were 4488 cases of dengue in the study hospital, with an in-hospital fatality rate of 1.3% (60 cases). The mean age of the 60 fatal cases was 73 years, among whom 90% were aged ≥65 years. Twenty-eight (46.7%) patients died of severe dengue, and 29 (48.3%) deaths were possibly related to dengue. Of the latter, 24 (40%) died of secondary infections. Thirteen cardiac arrest events, including out-of-hospital (5 events) and in-hospital (8) cardiac arrests in the emergency department, occurred during the dengue epidemic. Seven (53.8%) patients did not receive medical aid before the event. Of the 40 deaths that occurred within one week after hospitalization, 60% died of severe dengue. In contrast, 50% of 20 deaths that occurred one week after hospitalization were related to hospital-acquired infections, mainly pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Of 60 fatal cases, with a predominance of elderly patients, deaths were related to severe dengue within the first week after admission and secondary infections thereafter. The absence of medical care before cardiac arrest events highlights the importance of health education for warning signs of dengue.
Authors: Jandir Mendonça Nicacio; Orlando Vieira Gomes; Rodrigo Feliciano do Carmo; Sávio Luiz Pereira Nunes; José Roberto Coelho Ferreira Rocha; Carlos Dornels Freire de Souza; Rafael Freitas de Oliveira Franca; Ricardo Khouri; Manoel Barral-Netto; Anderson da Costa Armstrong Journal: Viruses Date: 2022-09-08 Impact factor: 5.818