The Role of platelet concentrate transfusion among patients diagnosed with adult dengue hemorrhagic fever admitted at FEU-NRMF Medical Center on June 2004- October 2005 / Janet Santiago.

Includes appendices and bibliographical references.

ABSTRACT: Platelet transfusion is one of the cornerstone in the supportive treatment of adult DHF. No studies have been done comparing the outcome of patients who received or did not received platelet transfusion. Furthermore, the decision to give platelet transfusion is usually base on the recommendation of the Department of Health. This recommendation were based on studies done among acute leukemic patients. A prospective cohort (observational) study of 150 patients who satisfied the diagnostic criteria of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever. Eighty-nine patients (59.3%) did not receive platelet transfusion and 612 (40.7%) were given platelet transfusion. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used to compare the outcome in the two groups. There were no significant difference in the frequency and incidence of bleeding in the two groups. Transfusion reactions were seen in those who received prophylactic platelet concentrate. Platelet count and PTT were poor predictors of bleeding. The study failed to show any significant difference between patient who received or did not received platelet transfusion. There is a small but significant risk of transfusion related reaction. The restrictive policy on platelt transfusion as recommended by the department of health is safe. A large, randomized, multi-center clinical trial is recommended to reduce the effect of confounding factors that might have influenced the outcome of this study.

Research - Department of Medicine