Impact of Renal Failure on the Outcome of Dengue Viral Infection

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the 2002 dengue outbreak in Taiwan, some fatal cases had the underlying disease of renal failure (RF). Physicians faced difficulty in diagnosis and treatment of these patients; however, the impacts of RF on the clinical presentations and outcomes of dengue infection have not been reported previously. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, P < 0.001). The severity of GFR impairment was associated with higher percentages of DHF/DSS (P = 0.029) and mortality (P < 0.001). Differences in symptoms/signs and laboratory abnormalities between DF and DHF/DSS were significant in the non-RF group but not apparent in the RF group. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis and management of dengue infection among patients with RF must be cautious, because complicated clinical courses with a higher mortality rate were well observed.