Hemoptysis and Severe Thrombocytopenia in Adult Dengue Fever: Spontaneous Platelet Recovery with Conservative Management: A Case Report
Abstract
Dengue is hyperendemic in Bangladesh, and thrombocytopenia is among its most common laboratory findings; although a low platelet count is frequently alarming to patients and clinicians, it usually resolves spontaneously during the convalescent phase. A range of unproven “platelet-boosting” measures including vitamin K, tranexamic acid and herbal preparations are widely used in the region despite the absence of a supporting mechanism or controlled evidence. We report a 55-year-old man who presented with fever, headache, nausea, arthralgia and hemoptysis. Dengue NS1 antigen was positive, and complete blood count showed severe thrombocytopenia (18,000/µL) with hemoconcentration (hematocrit 48.7%). He managed conservatively with paracetamol, oral fluids and monitoring; tranexamic acid and injectable vitamin K1 were also administered on clinical grounds. He recovered uneventfully, with the platelet count rising to 453,000/µL and the hematocrit normalizing to 39.6% approximately two weeks after symptom onset. The platelet recovery in this patient followed the well-recognized natural history of dengue and cannot be causally attributed to vitamin K or tranexamic acid. Vitamin K has no role in thrombopoiesis, and this case is best read as a reminder that spontaneous recovery in a single, uncontrolled case must not be mistaken for treatment effect. Adult dengue with mucosal bleeding nonetheless warrants close monitoring for warning signs.
How to Cite This Article
Md. Asiquzzaman, Esrat Zaman, Shahed Kamal, Abdur Rahim, Khaled Saifullah Mahi (2026). Hemoptysis and Severe Thrombocytopenia in Adult Dengue Fever: Spontaneous Platelet Recovery with Conservative Management: A Case Report . International Journal of Multidisciplinary Evolutionary Research (IJMER), 7(2), 84-87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/IJMER.2026.7.2.84-87