The north Indian dengue outbreak 2006: a retrospective analysis of intensive care unit admissions in a tertiary care hospital

Dengue fever (DF), dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) have emerged as public health problems of international concern. During a dengue outbreak in north India in October 2006, more than 10 000 patients presented to hospital with fever. We retrospectively analysed the presenting features, treatment given and the outcome of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS): a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi. A total of 72 critically ill patients were referred for admission to the ICU. The common symptoms were fever (100%), myalgia (40%) and gastrointestinal bleed. Menorrhagia and haematuria were seen as the sole presenting features in many females. Treatment consisted of bed rest, oxygen therapy, intensive monitoring, antipyretics, platelet transfusions, hydration and electrolyte correction. On average, six units of platelets were required per patient. The average duration of stay in the ICU was 3 d. There were eight deaths. Adequate hydration and platelet replacement with transfusions, especially apheresis platelets to a target level above 60 000 platelets/mm3, were effective means of combating the disease.