Evaluation of cardiac involvement during dengue viral infection

Abstract

Background. Dengue is a disease whose clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic infections to a severe disease. There have been some previous reports of myocardial involvement in dengue, but this association has not been completely established.Methods. From January to July of 2011, patients hospitalized with dengue, confirmed through dengue nonstructural protein 1 and/or immunoglobulin M detection, were included in this study and troponin I and N terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide levels were determined. Patients with abnormal biomarkers underwent echocardiography and when any abnormality was detected, they underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.Results. Eighty-one patients were evaluated and 12 patients (15%) presented with elevated biomarker levels. Compared to controls, they had higher leukocyte (P