Clinical and laboratory findings on complication in patients with leptospirosis in Mazandaran Province, Iran

Abstract

Background: Leptospirosis has a high mortality rate in north of Iran. Objectives: The current study aimed to assess the clinical and laboratory findings and their possible relationship with complications of leptospirosis. Patients and Methods: The current retrospective cross-sectional study, by reviewing hospital records, evaluated patients with leptospirosis hospitalized in Razi Hospital (the therapeutic center of infectious diseases in Qaemshahr city, in the North of Iran) from 2008 to 2012. The diagnosis was confirmed by increasing the antibody titer in immunofluorescence assay (IFA) or microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Results: Out of 634 patients, 61 subjects (9.62%) had significant complications including: acute renal failure, alveolar hemorrhage, ARDS, clotting disorders, pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding and intracranial bleeding; Age, jaundice, renal and pulmonary involvement (oliguria and anuria), hypotension, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, elevated bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Creatine phosphokinase (CPK), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) increased the risk of leptospirosis complication. Conclusions: Renal involvement is one of the leading causes of death in such patients.