Acute Phase Reactants and Their Clinical Correlation in Patients with Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

Background: Early recognition and risk stratification in dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are essential, as it can progress to dengue shock syndrome (DSS), contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. An optimal biomarker is required to predict the severity of an illness. Acute phase reactants, including serum ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), exhibit rapid changes in response to infection and may serve as valuable indicators for early diagnosis and prognosis Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, from February to July 2020. 140 patients diagnosed with DHF based on WHO criteria were enrolled. Clinical features and laboratory data were collected, including ESR, CRP, and serum ferritin. Associations between acute phase reactants and clinical parameters such as bleeding, shock, plasma leakage, hepatomegaly, and hospital stay were analyzed using SPSS v23.0. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant Results: Of the 140 patients, 112 (80%) had DHF without shock, and 28 (20%) had DSS. The mean ESR, CRP, and ferritin levels during the critical phase significantly differed between DHF and DSS groups (p<0.05), indicating a correlation with disease severity. However, differences during the convalescent phase were not statistically significant Conclusion: Serum ferritin and CRP are promising acute phase reactants for assessing disease severity in DHF. Their routine evaluation may support the early identification of high-risk patients and guide clinical management.