Cardiovascular disorders in hospitalized patients with dengue infection

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiac complications in dengue patients are not uncommon and are not diagnosed, since they are usually mild and self-limiting. Objectives: To characterize the cardiovascular manifestations in hospitalized patients with dengue infection. Methods: We conducted an observational, analytical, longitudinal, prospective epidemiological study, which included 427 patients treated at Manuel Fajardo Clinical-Surgical Teaching Hospital with diagnosis of dengue infection since April 2017 to April 2018. Results: Cardiovascular manifestations (19.7%), mainly heart rate disorders (sinus bradycardia [13.8%], atrial [4.9%] and ventricular [4.0%] extrasystoles) were frequent in dengue infection patients. Pericarditis and myocarditis were diagnosed in 1.6% and 0.2% respectively. These disorders were self-limiting in 83.3% of cases and occurred in the first days of the onset of fever in 75.0%. Advanced age (OR = 1.70), male sex (OR = 1.94), decreased platelet count (OR = 1.13) and dengue with warning signs (OR = 3.29) were related to a higher probability of presenting cardiovascular disorders in the course of a dengue infection. Conclusions: Cardiovascular manifestations in dengue patients are frequent, and are related to advanced age, male sex, as well as severe forms of the disease.