Is hemorrhage the reason in crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever patients with neurological signs and symptomsa.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease can result in mortality varying from 3.0% to 50.0%. In this study, we wished to discuss computed tomography (CT) findings together with clinical and laboratory findings in patients who had disease-related neurological signs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included patients who were diagnosed with CCHF. Seventeen patients that had neurological signs were enrolled as the patient group. As a control group, 40 patients diagnosed with CCHF and did not have neurological signs were enrolled. Patients who had neurological signs were examined with brain CT. Radiological and clinical findings of both groups were compared. RESULTS: There were pathological findings in three patients while brain CT's of 14 patients were evaluated as normal. Blood urea nitrogen, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, total bilirubin, neutrophil, activated partial thromboplastin time, and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in the group with neurological signs whereas platelet count and calcium levels were significantly lower in this group. Six of 57 patients died during the follow-up period. Six patients who died were in the group, in which central nervous system (CNS) imaging study was performed. CONCLUSION: As the presence of CNS signs is a bad prognostic indicator in CCHF, they should be investigated carefully.