Background & Objectives: Dengue is probably the most important arthropod-borne viral disease worldwide. Dengue is caused by flavi virus types 1- 4. Liver involvement is one of the common features in dengue fever. Various studies have shown that in all those patients who develop complications like dengue hemorrhagic fever, dengue shock syndrome the levels of SGOT and SGPT were significantly raised. The severity of liver involvement can be a major predictor of morbidity and mortality of such patients with Dengue fever. So LFT can be a used to assess the severity of the disease which can thereby lead to early recognition of high risk cases.

Materials & Methods: This study was conducted in Kanyakumari Government Medical College in the department of general medicine. 100 patients were included in the study over a period from August 2017 – July 2018 for a period of 1 year. Detailed history, a complete general physical and systemic examination, with relevant investigations were done on hundred patients.

Results: Of 100 patients, 35% had less than 2-fold increase in SGOT levels, 31%  had 2-10-fold increase  and 12% had more than 10-fold increase. Overall 22% had normal values and 78% had values of SGOT above normal. With regard to SGPT 24% had normal values, 32% had less than 2-fold of normal, 26% had 2-10-fold increase and 18% had more than 10 fold increase from normal. Vomiting and pain abdomen in the early stage suggested hepatic involvement. AST and ALT were statistically higher in these patients and in those developing complications like DHF, DSS, hepatic failure, ARDS, AKI and encephalopathy.

Conclusion: Liver involvement is common in adult patients with dengue.  Hepatic involvement prolongs the clinical course of this self limiting disease and can be a major predictor of morbidity and mortality of such patients with Dengue fever. So AST and ALT can be a useful early marker to assess the severity of the disease which can thus lead to early recognition of high risk cases.

Keywords: Dengue fever; AST; ALT; Hepatic dysfunction.

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Vivek Anand

Post Graduate, Department of General Medicine,

Kanyakumari Government Medical College