DengueDrops is a web-based calculator for the calculation of the required fluid amounts and IV flow rates for non-shock (group-B) dengue patients. Biomedical Engineers from BUET and a team of physicians have developed this tool. The app takes inputs about the patient (age, height, gender, weight, BP, capillary refill time) and calculates the required IV fluid in drops per minute for patients of every age group based on the cannula type used (adult/pediatric). It provides maintenance and deficit fluid levels and suggests total amounts of fluid that should be administered intravenously and orally.
The recent dengue outbreak in Bangladesh has been a grave concern for public health officials. As of 20 November 2022, 52,807 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases and 230 related deaths have been reported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of Bangladesh since 1 January 2022, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.44%. Dengue has been endemic in the country since 2000, primarily due to the widespread establishment of the Aedes aegypti vector. However, apparently due to the regional rainfall patterns and higher environmental temperatures, the incidence of dengue has grown considerably since 2010.
Adequate fluid management is essential to prevent severe outcomes for hospitalized dengue patients. The national guidelines provide methods for IV fluid administration based on individual patient's age, weight, and gender. During the peak of the outbreak, when doctors need to manage a huge number of patients, the use of this tool will save their precious time in calculation of the required fluid amount. The tool will also help new physicians in quickly learning about fluid management. These are the main reasons why the DengueDrops app has been developed.
The "DengueDrops" strictly adheres to national guidelines, making it an effective clinical decision support system for healthcare professionals during future dengue outbreaks. We hope that the nationwide scale-up of this digital health tool can significantly improve the overall dengue treatment and recovery in Bangladesh.
The app takes physiological parameters of the patient as input and directly provides the patient-specific fluid management chart in drops/min unit.
The web-app has been approved by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Bangladesh on August 09, 2023 after several iterations and rigorous meetings.
© mHealth Lab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, BUET