Doctors told to improve dengue treatment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Respected medical experts have said that doctors
\nwho hastily recommend blood transfusions for dengue patients are
\n\"inexperienced\".<\/p>\n
In a media briefing held by the Indonesian Hematology and
\nBlood Transfusion Association yesterday, the experts also called
\nthe widespread practice \"misguided\".<\/p>\n
They said that only patients suffering from internal bleeding
\nneeded a blood transfusion.<\/p>\n
\"We provide a hotline service for doctors who want to learn
\nabout dengue treatment. They can call 390 5839,\" Zubairi
\nDjoerban, head of the association, said.<\/p>\n
H.M.S. Markum from the University of Indonesia's School of
\nMedicine urged doctors to learn about the rapid advances made in
\nthe treatment of dengue fever.<\/p>\n
He said that doctors, particularly junior ones, were often
\ncoerced into recommending a blood transfusion by patients'
\nrelatives.<\/p>\n
\"To satisfy relatives, inexperienced doctors often recommend
\nthat the patient be given blood at an inappropriate stage in the
\ncourse of the illness,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the recent outbreak of dengue fever has claimed 54
\nlives and lead to a shortage of blood in hospitals around the
\ncity.<\/p>\n
Dozens of relatives have been forced to spend more than a day
\nwaiting at the understaffed Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) office in
\nCentral Jakarta to donate blood, or receive blood from other
\ndonors. Supplies are reportedly very low.<\/p>\n
The government, alarmed by the rising death toll, has called
\non the public to donate blood to help the thousands of people
\nbeing treated for dengue across the country.<\/p>\n
A. Harryanto Reksodiputro, also from the university's school
\nof medicine, said that blood transfusions were needed only if the
\npatient was suffering from internal bleeding.<\/p>\n
\"If there are no red spots on the patients skin then there is
\nnothing to worry about, even if the number of thrombocytes per
\nmicroliter of blood is less than 50,000,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A healthy person normally has between 200,000 and 400,000
\nthrombocytes per microliter of blood.<\/p>\n
Dengue fever is transmitted by the Aedes aegypty mosquito. The
\nvirus increases the permeability of blood cell walls and reduces
\nthe number of thrombocytes in the blood.<\/p>\n
As a result, water contained in the blood permeates into other
\ntissue more easily, hampering the circulation of blood.<\/p>\n
Harryanto said that plasma containing lactic acid was needed
\nat this stage, not a blood transfusion.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the Ministry of Health distributed
\n200,000 bottles of plasma to hospitals throughout the city
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Head of the ministry's office in the city, E. Sutarto, said
\nthe donation was intended to supply hospitals with enough plasma
\nto ensure they could treat all patients admitted.<\/p>\n
\"There is no reason for hospitals to refuse patients
\ntreatment. Even if there are no rooms left they can still
\nadminister this simple treatment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The number of reported cases was 5,860 yesterday.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, Governor Sutiyoso donated 500 bottles of
\nplasma to the city-owned Koja Hospital, Tugu Hospital and
\nSukamulya Hospital, all in North Jakarta. (ind\/ivy)<\/p>",
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