The correlation between clinical manifestations and cytokine concentrations in Vietnamese children with dengue hemorrhagic fever

Background: All over the world, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) causes mortality each year. To determine the development and severity of DHF, healthcare professionals usually record and monitor clinical manifestations and the functioning of the immune system. Nevertheless, many issues remain unclear as to the influence of cytokine concentrations on clinical symptoms. Objective: This study was aimed at ascertaining the correlation between clinical manifestations and cytokine concentrations in children with DHF. Materials and methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 234 patients who were serologically diagnosed with dengue virus infection in Tien Giang Hospital. The patients' clinical symptoms, such as fever duration on hospital admission, vomiting, abdominal pain, mucosal bleeding, bleeding under the skin, hepatomegaly, and high bodily temperature, were documented every day from admission to discharge. Cytokine concentrations were detected and measured via multiplex microbead immunoassay. The correlation between cytokine concentration and each clinical manifestation was then identified. Results: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration affected the manifestation of abdominal pain in the patients, and high concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, and IL-13 increased the occurrence of hepatomegaly. Temperature was influenced by IL-5, IL-10, and IL-12 concentrations. Conclusion: The findings confirmed the correlation between cytokine concentrations and certain clinical manifestations.