A clinical study of febrile thrombocytopenia at a Tertiary Care Hospital in North Karnataka

Abstract

Background: Fever is one of the most common presentations in clinical practice. The clinical spectrum of fever with thrombocytopenia requires the study of clinical and investigations profile. Objective: The study of clinical profile and laboratory diagnoses of fever with thrombocytopenia. The study aims in diagnoses and studying the course of diseases. Methods: The prospective study of 200 patients more than 13 years presenting with fever and thrombocytopenia. The study was conducted at KIMS hospital Hubli Karnataka, in the department of General Medicine. The subjects were evaluated for diagnosing the aetiologies and received treatment. Results: In this study, males outnumbered females, the platelet count was in the range of 50000- 150000/l in 47% patients, 20000-50000/l in 33.5% patients and was lesser than 20000 in 19.5% patients. The diagnoses was made in 37.5%, with most common being Malaria followed by Sepsis, Dengue, Enteric fever. The 62.5% patients were classified as undetermined viral febrile illness as definite diagnosis was not reached with available investigations. There were manifestations of thrombocytopenia in the form of bleeding in 14.5% patients, improvement was noted clinically in 90.5% patients. The mortality was 5.5% and the cause was sepsis. Platelet transfusion was given in 18.5% patients and blood transfusion in 12.5%. The study noted anaemia in 32.5% and pancytopenia in 16%. The associated complications noted were hepatitis in 6.5% and AKI in 3.5%. Conclusion : Malaria, sepsis, dengue and enteric fever constitute majority of etiologies in cases of fever with thrombocytopenia.