ASSESSMENT OF HAEMATOCRIT STATUS USING BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE ANALYSIS IN DENGUE PATIENTS

摘要

This paper investigates bioelectrical impedance analysis as a non-invasive tool to monitor haematocrit status for dengue patients in The University Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM), Malaysia. BIA measurements were conducted on 180 (97 males and 83 females) serologically confirmed dengue patients during their hospitalization. The clinical diagnosis and severity grading Ⅰ to Ⅳ of DHF were in accordance to WHO recommendations. We investigated the prognostic relevance of electrical tissue conductivity in BIA, patient's demographic variables and symptoms. Among 7 parameters (resistance, reactance, sex, age, weight, anorexia and vomiting) estimated using the multiple linear regression model, 4 were found to be significant. They were reactance, weight, sex and vomiting. Although the model can only explain approximately 40% of the variation in HCT status, bio-impedance using single frequency stand-alone technique is insufficient in monitoring HCT for the dengue patients.