VPB0137 - The difference of coagulation indicators between COVID-19 and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever in Children: A Single-Centre Study

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has become a serious issue worldwide, as a novel disease with various manifestations and symptoms, many of which are still unknown till date. Coagulopathy is a well-known manifestation in COVID-19, which also commonly presents in patients with Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF).

Aims: This study aimed to analyse the differences in prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and D-dimer level between COVID-19 and DHF children.

Methods: This is a single-centre prospective cohort study, conducted from April 2020 to September 2021 in R D Kandou General Hospital, Manado, Indonesia. All children aged 1 – < 18 years old diagnosed with Confirmed COVID-19 or DHF (according to WHO 2011 criteria) were checked for PT, aPTT, and D-dimer on the day of admission; after obtained informed consent from their parents/guardians. Subjects were then grouped into Confirmed COVID-19 group and DHF group, in regards to their respective diagnosis. Data of coagulation markers between groups were analysed with t-test, power 0.80, α 0.05, significant P< 0.05 using SPSS version 25.0.

Results: This study gathered 107 subjects, consisting of 46 COVID-19 and 61 DHF subjects. Out of three laboratory markers, patients in COVID-19 group had significant PT prolongation compared to DHF group (16.56±7.1” vs. 13.0±1.75”, respectively, p < 0.001). On the other hand, DHF group showed increasing trend of D-dimer value and aPTT compared with COVID-19 group, although no statistically significant.

Conclusion(s): This study finds significant PT prolongation in children with COVID-19 compared to those of DHF. However, there were no significant difference of aPTT and D-dimer between COVID-19 and DHF children.