FREQUENCY OF BICYTOPENIA IN CHILDREN PRESENTING WITH DENGUE FEVER AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL KARACHI

Abstract

Background: Dengue fever is a major public health concern associated with various hematological abnormalities, including leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. The coexistence of these abnormalities as bicytopenia may indicate disease severity and warrants early identification, particularly in children.

Objective: To determine the frequency of bicytopenia in children presenting with dengue fever at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Paediatric Medicine Department, Memon Medical Institute Hospital, Karachi from February 2025 to June 2025 A total of 135 children with age 6 months to 12 years diagnosed with dengue fever (IgM positive by ELISA) were recruited. Blood samples were drawn from the participants for complete blood counts (CBCs) and bicytopenia was defined as leukopenia (absolute neutrophil count <1800/µL) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count <150,000/µL). A Chi-Square or Fisher's test was used to establish statistical significance, with a p-value of ≤0.05 indicating statistical significance.

Results: The mean age was 5.82 years ±3.42, with 65.93% of the study subjects being male. A total of 36 (26.7%) participants were found to have bicytopenia. Frequency of bicytopenia was significantly high among children 5-10 years of age, males and resident of urban areas.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that bicytopenia is a common hematological abnormality among children with dengue fever, affecting about one-fourth of the patients. Early recognition and close monitoring of hematological parameters in these high-risk groups are crucial for timely intervention, prevention of complications, and improved clinical outcomes.