Posters
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Dengue fever (DF) is endemic to the Philippines, where it poses a major public health concern, especially in rural and medically underserved areas. Recent literature has underscored the clinical significance of rash in DF, reporting that cases with rash are associated with less severe complications than cases without. The aim of this study is to determine whether the presence of dermatological symptoms is associated with a shorter admission duration among DF patients in a rural, underserved area in the Philippines. This association may in turn aid in the management and triaging of DF cases, particularly in underserved areas with limited resources and high patient burden.
Methods: Fifty patients with a final diagnosis of dengue fever at Milagros Albano District Hospital, Cabagan, Isabela were identified for retrospective analysis. Admission duration for all patients was compiled and analyzed. Chart review was conducted to determine the presence of concomitant dermatological symptoms. A t-test was performed to determine whether the difference in mean admission duration was significant between DF patients with dermatological symptoms (n=4) and those without (n=46).
Results: The difference in mean admission duration for patients with cutaneous findings compared to those without was not significant (3 vs 4.19 days, respectively; p=0.29). An incidental finding was the lack of dermatologic manifestations within the cohort at large. Among the cases identified, only four of the fifty patients were found to have dermatologic manifestations (8%), all of which were described as rashes and petechiae.
Conclusions: The results do not support an association between shorter admission duration and the presence of dermatologic manifestations among DF patients. The relative absence of dermatologic manifestations within the cohort is also a noteworthy finding in itself. Previous studies have reported that cutaneous manifestations are seen in 65% of DF patients, which stands in contrast to the 8% seen within this study. This finding suggests that a future topic of interest is the relationship between the lack of cutaneous manifestations and the clinical and demographic characteristics of the cohort. Ultimately, further exploration of cutaneous manifestations as a tool in the management of DF cases is warranted.
Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Recommended Citation
Guzman, Patricia Marie, "Association of cutaneous manifestations with admission duration among dengue fever patients in rural, underserved Philippines" (2023). Research Symposium. 86.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2022/posters/86
Included in
Association of cutaneous manifestations with admission duration among dengue fever patients in rural, underserved Philippines
Background: Dengue fever (DF) is endemic to the Philippines, where it poses a major public health concern, especially in rural and medically underserved areas. Recent literature has underscored the clinical significance of rash in DF, reporting that cases with rash are associated with less severe complications than cases without. The aim of this study is to determine whether the presence of dermatological symptoms is associated with a shorter admission duration among DF patients in a rural, underserved area in the Philippines. This association may in turn aid in the management and triaging of DF cases, particularly in underserved areas with limited resources and high patient burden.
Methods: Fifty patients with a final diagnosis of dengue fever at Milagros Albano District Hospital, Cabagan, Isabela were identified for retrospective analysis. Admission duration for all patients was compiled and analyzed. Chart review was conducted to determine the presence of concomitant dermatological symptoms. A t-test was performed to determine whether the difference in mean admission duration was significant between DF patients with dermatological symptoms (n=4) and those without (n=46).
Results: The difference in mean admission duration for patients with cutaneous findings compared to those without was not significant (3 vs 4.19 days, respectively; p=0.29). An incidental finding was the lack of dermatologic manifestations within the cohort at large. Among the cases identified, only four of the fifty patients were found to have dermatologic manifestations (8%), all of which were described as rashes and petechiae.
Conclusions: The results do not support an association between shorter admission duration and the presence of dermatologic manifestations among DF patients. The relative absence of dermatologic manifestations within the cohort is also a noteworthy finding in itself. Previous studies have reported that cutaneous manifestations are seen in 65% of DF patients, which stands in contrast to the 8% seen within this study. This finding suggests that a future topic of interest is the relationship between the lack of cutaneous manifestations and the clinical and demographic characteristics of the cohort. Ultimately, further exploration of cutaneous manifestations as a tool in the management of DF cases is warranted.