Evaluation of LH 750 VCS parameters and lymph Index in identifying Dengue fever
Background: Dengue is an acute viral infection which affects nearly 50-100 million people across many countries of the world. It is now threatening to become a major health problem across the globe. There is no specific treatment for Dengue and diagnosis depends mainly on serological testing and virus isolation from blood of patients. The major problem physicians face is to distinguish self-limiting Dengue fever from Dengue haemorrhagic fever.
Aims and objectives: The present study aims to evaluate the utility of VCS (volume, conductivity, scatter) parameters and lymph index in accurately predicting dengue fever. We retrospectively analysed data from 193 febrile patients coming to our diagnostic centre between August 2014 and October 2014 and calculated the lymph index in the patients positive for dengue infection by serological methods.
Materials and Methods: In this retrospective case control study, blood samples were collected from 193 febrile patients between August 2014 and October 2014. A simplified lymphocyte CPD(cell population data), the lymph index, was calculated as LV(lymphocyte volume) X LV- SD (standard deviation of lymphocyte volume) รท LC(lymphocyte conductivity).
Results: We observed a significant increase in the lymph index in dengue patients (?13.6) as compared to controls (mean lymph index 10.32). The Sensitivity and Specificity in predicting dengue infection was 71.17% AND 78.05% respectively with a cut off of ?13.6.
Conclusion: These results indicate that lymph index is a good hematological parameter for predicting dengue infection
Key words: Beckman Coulter LH 750, VCS parameters, Lymph index, CPD, Dengue fever.
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