Acute Renal Failure Adversely Affects Survival in Pediatric Dengue Infection

AIMS: Dengue is currently one of the most important mosquito-borne viral infections. Acute renal failure (ARF) is a serious complication among children suffering from dengue infection. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort review of baseline characteristics, disease outcomes, and risk factors of dengue-infected patients, with and without renal failure (RF), were compared. RESULTS: Among 97 children with dengue, 13.4% had RF (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) at presentation. In comparison to all children (100%) of RF cohort, only 32% children of non-RF cohort (P < 0.0001) were suffering either from dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS). The 7-day survival rate was 61.5% (8/13) among RF group as compared to 96.4% (81/84) in non-RF group (P < 0.001). When a fraction of patients who needed vasopressor support were significantly higher in RF cohort (70% vs. 14% for RF and non-RF, respectively, P < 0.001), requirement of mechanical ventilation (15% vs. 11%, P = 0.67) was comparable in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: DHF/DSS is an independent risk factor for the development of ARF in patients with dengue infection. Mortality rate is high once RF develops in these children.