A study to establish the impact of platelet estimation in various fever cases and their outcome

Background: A study to establish the impact of platelet estimation in various fever ses and their outcome.
Materials and Methods: 55 patients who were admitted with fever over a span of 2 months from October 10th to 10th December 2019 in King George Hospit al,AMC, Visakhapatnam, were studied retrospectively.
Results: In this study irrespective of the size of the sample a marked predominance of males (60%) over females (40%) was noticed. In the present study 33 patients (60%) were males and 22 (40%) were females. The highest incidence was found in the age groups of 21 - 30 years (27%) followed by 31 -40 years (18%). Females were chiefly presented with body pains while males were presented with a combination of body pain and head ache. In the present study it was significantly found that the highest difference is seen in the presentation of viral fever cases. In viral fever out of 15 cases, 13cases (87%) of thrombocytopenia with viral fever are found against 2 cases (13%) of viral fever with normal platelet count. Out of 55cases fever 9(16%) cases were presented with various bleeding manifestations associated with severe thrombocytopenia (<50,000). Severe thrombocytopenia (platelets less than 50,000) seen in 16 cases (43%) out of 37 cases of fever with thrombocytopenia. This study reveals that the incidence of fever cases and
fever with thrombocytopenia is more during early winter. In this study 4 cases out of 55 had mortality.
Conclusion: Majority of cases of thrombocytopenia were asymptomatic, but the presence of bleeding manifestations in a significant number of cases require prompt management to prevent life-threatening complications. Serial platelet estimation is more useful than extensive etiological evaluation in management of febrile thrombocytopenia.