title: Dengue haemorrhagic fever: ultrasound as an aid to predict the severity of the disease.
abstract: In a prospective study, the relationship between the clinical severity of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and the sonographic findings was examined. The study comprised 73 cases classified as mild (grades I-II) and 75 as severe (grades III-IV). Ultrasonography in the mild group revealed pleural effusions in 30%, ascites in 34%, gallbladder wall thickening in 32%, hepatomegaly in 49%, splenomegaly in 16%, and pancreatic enlargement in 14%. In the severe group, pleural effusions, ascites and gallbladder wall thickening were found in 95%, pararenal and perirenal fluid collections in 77%, hepatic and splenic subcapsular fluid collections in 9%, pericardial effusion in 8%, hepatomegaly in 56%, splenomegaly in 16%, and pancreatic gland enlargement in 44%. Ultrasound may be useful for early prediction of the severity of DHF in children.
authors.affiliation: Ultrasound Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Medical Faculty, Tarumanagara University, Jakarta, Indonesia.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Setiawan
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Samsi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wulur
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sugianto
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Pool
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001201:Ascites / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019595:Severe Dengue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography