Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40261481›Full record

Observational studyInfection2025

A simple clinical tool for effective screening of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in dengue.

Jeco Jacob Kuttykandathil, Arfath Ahmed, Gauri Malavalli Girish, Chyavan Trisule Reddy Tummaluru, Vivek Kothandaraman Koushik, Tapendu Patoary, Chakrapani Mahabala

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Infection, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jeco Jacob KuttykandathilDepartment of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0253-2234
Arfath AhmedDepartment of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3185-1921
Gauri Malavalli GirishDepartment of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India. gauri.girish@manipal.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8033-8171
Chyavan Trisule Reddy TummaluruDepartment of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Vivek Kothandaraman KoushikConsultant Nephrologist, Prashanth Hospital, Kolathur, Chennai, India.
Tapendu PatoaryDepartment of Medicine, Ruby General Hospital, Kasba Golpark, Anandapur, Kolkata, India.
Chakrapani MahabalaDepartment of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0460-7913

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeHaemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, life-threatening disorder. Dengue fever is a common trigger for HLH in the tropics. We aimed to develop a simplified clinical tool to detect HLH in dengue patients.

methodsA cross-sectional observational study was carried out at Kasturba Medical College Mangalore. Patients between 18 and 60 years of age, with dengue fever for more than five days with suspected HLH symptoms were selected. Hepatosplenomegaly, temperature, haemoglobin levels, total leucocyte count, platelet count, ferritin, triglyceride, and liver function tests were assessed. HLH-2004 criteria were used to confirm the diagnosis. A simple clinical tool was developed via decision tree analysis using clinical and laboratory parameters.

resultsPatients with HLH had marked leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, hyperferritinaemia and elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels, and a greater incidence of hepatosplenomegaly than those without HLH. Decision tree analysis was used to generate a clinical diagnostic tool, which demonstrated an accuracy of 94%, at a confidence interval of 95% (90-98%). The model's ability to predict HLH was 79%, while its specificity was 96%. It had a positive predictive value of 68% and a negative predictive value of 97%. The kappa value of the predicted model was 0.70, indicating an agreement with the diagnosis using HLH-2004 criteria, with a significant p-value (< 0.001).

conclusionsSplenomegaly can be used as a screening method to diagnose HLH in patients with dengue. By using an algorithmic approach, combining splenomegaly with leucopenia and thrombocytopenia, this clinical tool accurately detects HLH in patients with dengue.

Indexed as

DengueLymphohistiocytosis, HemophagocyticAdolescentAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDecision TreesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSensitivity and SpecificityYoung AdultClinical toolDecision tree analysisHaemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosisSevere dengueSplenomegaly

Identifiers

PMID40261481
PMCPMC12460484

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.