Hyperferritinaemia in Dengue Virus Infected Patients Is Associated with Immune Activation and Coagulation Disturbances
Cornelia A. M. van de Weg;Ralph M. H. G. Huits;Cláudio S. Pannuti;Rosalba M. Brouns;Riemsdijk W. A. van den Berg;Henk-Jan van den Ham;Byron E. E. Martina;Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus;Mihai G. Netea;Joost C. M. Meijers;Eric C. M. van Gorp;Esper G. Kallas;
Author Summary Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant and produced by reticulo-endothelial cells in response to inflammation and infection. In general, ferritin levels are increased in inflammatory conditions, but in this study we found that ferritin levels were much higher in dengue virus infected patients than in patients with other febrile illnesses. This indicates that ferritin could be used as a marker to discriminate between dengue and other febrile diseases. Moreover, the presence of hyperferritinaemia (ferritin levels≥500 µg/L) was associated with markers of immune activation and coagulation disturbances and clinical disease severity, suggesting that it could serve as a marker of activity of disease. Clinical markers to determine the presence and severity of dengue virus infection are important for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Our results indicate that increased ferritin levels could be used to increase the likelihood on a positive dengue diagnosis. Moreover, patients with hyperferritinaemia should be monitored carefully, because they are at risk to develop severe disease due to extensive immune activation.