Unveiling the Impact of Dengue: Insights from a large South America Retrospective Cohort Study on Hospitalized Cases
Overview
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted through mosquito bite with a high symptoms heterogeneity. Aiming at running one of the largest retrospective cohort study of hospitalized dengue cases, Ariana has integrated and analyzed medico-economic hospital records across three major countries in South America (Brazil, Mexico, Colombia). Over 125 million health records were considered to evaluate the burden of disease. This comprehensive study aimed to evaluate the burden of dengue on healthcare systems.
Impact
• Insights derived from this study are crucial for the ongoing development and pricing strategies of dengue vaccines, as they provide a clearer understanding of the disease’s impact, particularly in populations with higher vulnerability.
• The study confirmed that older adults and patients with other specific diseases experience are more at risk of severe dengue and increased mortality. This demographic and clinical data is essential for refining prevention and treatment protocols for dengue.
• While the direct mortality caused by dengue remains low, hospitals show an increase in mortality overall indications in high dengue season, suggesting that an excess of hospital admissions caused by dengue pushes the healthcare system to its limits.
Objectives
• To identify key factors that contribute to severe dengue outcomes and increased mortality, thus supporting targeted healthcare interventions and vaccine deployment strategies.
• To provide robust data support for healthcare policy adjustments and resource allocation to mitigate the impact of dengue across affected regions
Method
Using KEM® xAI, researchers systematically analyzed consolidated and aggregated RWE data from the SAEH database in Mexico (19.2 million records across 817 hospitals), the SIHSUS database in Brazil (92 million records across 5983 hospitals), and the RIPS database in Colombia (13.5 million records across 11208 hospitals). The study focused on the prevalence of comorbidities and their correlation with dengue severity and mortality.
Results
• The application of KEM® xAI technology highlighted significant findings regarding the demographic and clinical characteristics that exacerbate dengue severity. This includes higher case fatality rates (CFR) among older adults, patients with severe dengue symptoms, and those presenting comorbidities.
• The study also shed light on the higher prevalence of other specific diseases in hospitalized dengue cases vs non-dengue.
