title: Dengue Deaths: Associated Factors and Length of Hospital Stay.
abstract: Background. Dengue continues to pose a public health problem globally. Objective. To review factors associated with patients who died from dengue in Trinidad. Methods. A retrospective case note review of hospitalized patients who died during 2001 to 2010. Results. A total of 23 cases were identified: 13 males, 10 females-12 East Indians, 9 Africans, and 2 unknown. More than half (n = 17) were over 40 years of age with 10 being over 60 years of age; three were children. A falling platelet count was observed in 16 while 18 patients had a low normal haematocrit. There was a significant association of ethnicity, hypertension, and diabetes with length of hospital stay. Conclusions. The study sample included 10 patients over 60 years of age. Patients with diabetes and hypertension and patients of East Indian origin appeared to have a shorter hospital stay prior to death.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: S
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5534-3762
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pooransingh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teelucksingh
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dialsingh