Table 2.
Age groups, clinical manifestations, abnormal laboratory investigations, and organ-system involvement in children hospitalized during the 2018–2019 dengue epidemic in Jamaica
| Dengue without warning signs (n = 53) | Dengue with warning signs (n = 218) | Severe dengue without haemorrhagic features (n = 28) | Severe dengue with haemorrhagic features (n = 40) | Total (n = 339) | Mortality cases (n = 17) | |
| Age group | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | TOTAL (%) | Number (%) |
| <1 year | 7 (2.1) | 24 (7.1) | 4 (1.2) | 3 (0.9) | 38 (11.2) | 1 (5.9) |
| 1–5 years | 20 (5.9) | 69 (20.4) | 13 (3.8) | 17 (5.0) | 119 (35.1) | 9 (52.9) |
| 6–10 years | 14 (4.1) | 91 (26.8) | 7 (2.1) | 14 (4.1) | 126 (37.2) | 6 (35.3) |
| 11–15 years | 10 (2.9) | 33 (9.7) | 4 (1.2) | 6 (1.8) | 53 (15.6) | 1 (5.9) |
| Missing data | 2 (0.6) | 1 (0.3) | 0 | 0 | 3 (0.9) | 0 |
| Most common clinical manifestations | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Total (%) | Number (%) |
| Fever | 51 (15.0) | 217 (64.0) | 28 (8.3) | 40 (11.8) | 336 (99.1) | 17 (100) |
| Vomiting | 30 (8.8) | 145 (42.8) | 17 (5.0) | 31 (9.1) | 223 (65.8) | 12 (70.6) |
| Headache | 25 (7.4) | 124 (36.6) | 15 (4.4) | 22 (6.5) | 186 (54.9) | 0 |
| Abdominal pain | 10 (2.9) | 124 (36.6) | 21 (6.2) | 27 (8.0) | 182 (53.7) | 10 (58.8) |
| Lethargy | 0 | 137 (40.4) | 17 (5.0) | 26 (7.7) | 180 (53.1) | 14 (82.4) |
| Loss of appetite | 15 (4.4) | 124 (36.6) | 16 (4.7) | 25 (7.4) | 180 (53.1) | 13 (76.5) |
| Diarrhoea | 15 (4.4) | 76 (22.4) | 9 (2.7) | 23 (6.8) | 123 (36.3) | 13 (76.5) |
| Arthralgia | 20 (5.9) | 65 (19.2) | 13 (3.8) | 15 (4.4) | 113 (33.3) | 4 (23.5) |
| Rash | 19 (5.6) | 61 (18.0) | 7 (2.1) | 11 (3.2) | 98 (28.9) | 2 (11.8) |
| Hypotension | 0 | 42 (12.4) | 15 (4.4) | 21 (6.2) | 78 (23) | 11 (64.7) |
| Hepatomegaly | 0 | 38 (11.2) | 12 (3.5) | 20 (5.9) | 70 (20.6) | 10 (58.8) |
| Documented shock | 0 | 0 | 6 (1.8) | 13 (3.8) | 19 (5.6) | 10 (58.8) |
| Laboratory investigations | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Total (%) | Number (%) |
| Leukopenia | 22 (6.5) | 124 (36.6) | 14 (4.1) | 9 (2.7) | 169 (49.9) | 3 (17.6) |
| Thrombocytopenia | 34 (10.0) | 187 (55.2) | 26 (7.7) | 36 (10.6) | 283 (83.5) | 15 (88.2)∗ |
| Prolonged PT | 0 | 2 (0.6) | 1 (0.3) | 11 (3.2) | 14 (4.1) | 10 (58.8) |
| Prolonged PTT | 9 (2.7) | 78 (23.0) | 18 (5.3) | 26 (7.7) | 131 (38.6) | 12 (70.6) |
| Elevated AST | 25 (7.4) | 163 (48.1) | 27 (8.0) | 30 (8.8) | 245 (72.3) | 15 (88.2) |
| Elevated ALT | 11 (3.2) | 89 (26.3) | 20 (5.9) | 27 (8.0) | 147 (43.4) | 14 (82.4) |
| Elevated LDH | 15 (4.4) | 106 (31.3) | 18 (5.3) | 25 (7.4)∗∗ | 164 (48.4) | 10 (58.8) |
| Elevated CPK | 7 (2.1) | 49 (14.5) | 10 (2.9) | 18 (5.3)∗∗∗ | 84 (24.8) | 10 (58.8) |
| Organ-systems involved | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Total (%) | Number (%) |
| Gastrointestinal | 37 (10.9) | 213 (62.8) | 28 (8.3) | 39 (11.5) | 317 (93.5) | 17 (100) |
| Haematologic | 39 (11.5) | 204 (60.2) | 28 (8.3) | 40 (11.8) | 311 (91.7) | 17 (100) |
| Musculoskeletal | 26 (7.7) | 108 (31.9) | 19 (5.6) | 27 (8.0) | 180 (53.1) | 12 (70.6) |
| Cardiac | 0 | 44 (13.0) | 19 (5.6) | 24 (7.1) | 87 (25.7) | 13 (76.5) |
| Respiratory | 0 | 5 (1.5) | 18 (5.3) | 18 (5.3) | 41 (12.1) | 9 (52.9) |
| Renal | 1 (0.3) | 15 (4.4) | 5 (1.5) | 20 (5.9) | 41 (12.1) | 14 (82.4) |
| Central nervous system | 3 (0.9) | 3 (0.9) | 2 (0.6) | 13 (3.8) | 21 (6.2) | 7 (41.2) |
The P values included in the Table were statistically significant with regards to the abnormal laboratory investigations and severe dengue with haemorrhage/mortality as shown by the asterisks (∗P = 0.003; ∗∗P < 0.001; ∗∗∗P = 0.002). Comparisons were made between groups using Student's t test for normally distributed parametric data. Chi-square analysis, or Fisher's exact test, was used for categorical variables. Continuous variables were analysed using Student's t test. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The ’total’ column represents the sum of the numbers in the rows for ’dengue without warning signs‘, ’dengue with warning signs‘, 'severe dengue without haemorrhage‘, and ‘severe dengue with haemorrhage’. The percentages, except for the age groups, will not add up to 100%. The percentages were calculated as a proportion of the total cases of 339 that were included in the study. Data from Lue et al.[18▪▪].