Differences in clinical and laboratory characteristics and disease severity between children and adults with dengue virus infection in Taiwan, 2002.
To compare the clinical and laboratory characteristics and disease severity between adults and children with dengue in Taiwan in 2002, we retrospectively studied 661 serologically confirmed dengue-infected patients (606 adults and 55 children) admitted between June and December 2002 to a single medical centre. The medical charts of the patients were reviewed for demographic, clinical, laboratory and imaging information. Compared with children, adult patients were found to have: higher incidences of arthralgia (P<0.001), myalgia (P=0.002), headache (P=0.028), abdominal pain (P=0.004) and upper gastrointestinal bleeding (P=0.013); lower platelet counts (P<0.001), prothrombin time (P=0.030) and serum albumin levels (P=0.037); a higher incidence of elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (P=0.001); and a higher prevalence of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) (14.4% vs. 3.6%; P=0.026). The current data showed differences in clinical manifestations and laboratory characteristics between children and adults with dengue virus infection. Notably, a higher incidence of DHF was observed in adult patients compared with children in the 2002 dengue epidemic in Taiwan.
Wang
Chin-Chou
CC
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Niaosung Shiang, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Lee
Ing-Kit
IK
Su
Mao-Chang
MC
Lin
Hung-I
HI
Huang
Yi-Chuan
YC
Liu
Shih-Feng
SF
Wu
Chao-Chien
CC
Lin
Meng-Chih
MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003715:Dengue / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011000:Pleurodynia, Epidemic / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019595:Severe Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult