Dengue Disease Severity in Pediatric Patients With Different Blood Groups: A Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Jharkhand.

BACKGROUND

Dengue fever (DF) is a serious public health concern, especially in tropical regions like India. Cases cluster during the monsoon season due to the proliferation of Aedes mosquitoes, significantly burdening public health and the economy. In addition to prevention and control, identifying risk factors that provide early indications of progression to severe forms of the disease can help in prognostication and improve case management. This study aims to explore the association between ABO blood groups and the severity of dengue disease in pediatric patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Jharkhand.

METHODOLOGY: This hospital-based observational cross-sectional study enrolled 88 patients, aged 1 to 18 years, with laboratory-confirmed dengue. Clinical features, hematological parameters, and outcomes, including DF, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), were analyzed across different blood groups.

RESULTS

A higher prevalence of dengue was noted in patients with blood group O (33, 37.5%) compared to other blood groups. While blood group O was associated with higher rates of severe outcomes such as DHF in 12 (46.1%) patients and DSS in 9 (56.2%) patients, statistical analysis did not establish a significant association between ABO blood groups and dengue severity (P = 0.155). Common presenting symptoms included abdominal pain in 61 (69.3%), body ache in 57 (64.8%), and fever in 50 (56.8%) patients, while complications like vascular leakage and thrombocytopenia varied across blood groups.

CONCLUSIONS

While no definitive link between blood group and disease progression was found, the result of higher prevalence of severe disease in blood group O can help us to stay vigilant. Identifying predictive markers for severe dengue can enhance handling of these patients and improve morbidity and mortality in pediatric populations. This study underscores the need for further research into the genetic and immunological factors that influence dengue severity.