APRI AS A PREDICTOR OF SEVERE DENGUE FEVER

Dengue fever poses a major public health burden in India, with severe cases requiring timely identication for effective management. This study aimed to evaluate the Aspartate Aminotransferase to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) as a predictor of severe dengue. A total of 100 patients aged 18–50 years, conrmed positive for the NS1 antigen, were included in a cross-sectional study at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences. Patients were categorized based on APRI scores (<3.2 and >3.22), and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Severe dengue occurred signicantly more in the high APRI group (52.7%) compared to the low APRI group (3.1%). High APRI was also associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased need for platelet transfusions. APRI > 3.22 showed 90.5% sensitivity and 78.5% specicity in predicting severe dengue. These ndings suggest that APRI, a simple and cost-effective marker, can aid in early identication and management of high-risk dengue patients, especially in resource-limited settings.