OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe the hematologic profile amongst obese children with dengue infections at Ulin General Hospital, Banjarmasin.
METHODS: A retrospective observational study in children aged 1 to 18 years old, presented with clinical criteria for dengue infection on WHO classification in 2011. Data such as patient age, gender, nutritional status and hematologic profile were taken from medical record. Nutritional status was measured using WHO 2006 (aged <5 years) and CDC 2000 chart (aged >5 years). Data then analyzed using Independent T-Test.
RESULTS: Fifty-two children enrolled and were analyzed (26 children with obesity and 26 well-nourished children). Of the 52 children, 25 (48%) children were male. Median age in obese group was 9.5 years and in well-nourished group was 12.5 years. Among the 52 subjects, 8 (16%) children were classified as dengue fever, 14 (26%) were DHF grade I, 17 (32%) were DHF grade II, 7 (14%) were DHF grade III and 6 (12%) were DHF grade IV. Serial assessment of laboratory data revealed that there were no significant differences in peak hemoglobin level between obese group vs well-nourished group (15.4 ± 1.46 vs 15.1 ± 1.41, P<0.05), peak hematocrit level (46.3 ± 1.46 vs 45.5 ± 4.22, P<0.05), nadir leucocyte level (1.962 ± 589 vs 1.931 ± 634, P<0.05) and nadir thrombocyte level (50.231 ± 15.534 vs 52.115 ± 19.163, P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The result of this present study showed that the obesity may not influence the severity of dengue infection based on the hematological profile.