Dengue during pregnancy, less incidence of thrombocytopenia than in general population

Abstract

Objective Dengue is a generally self-limited viral disease, considered a public health problem in Mexico. It can be accompanied by laboratory alterations such as neutropenia, lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia. The objective of the study was to evaluate the incidence of hematological alterations in patients with dengue. Methods We retrospectively included 64 patients, including 14 pregnant women, with a diagnosis of dengue at the Hospital Universitario de Monterrey and Civil Nuevo de Guadalajara from January 2014 to December 2017. Results The most common clinical symptom in the general group was headache and retro-ocular pain in 53 patients (83%), while in pregnant patients it was fever in 12 patients (86%). The median platelet count in the general group was 51.4x103/ μl, with thrombocytopenia in 88% of patients, while in pregnant patients it was 141.1 x103/ μl, with thrombocytopenia in 57% of patients (p=0.002). Platelet recovery was achieved in 7 days in the general group and 4.5 days in pregnant patients. Conclusions Contrary to that reported in the literature, pregnant patients had a lower incidence of thrombocytopenia and a higher platelet count at time of diagnosis without impact on maternal mortality or in the course of pregnancy.