tourniquet test for dengue fever
Quick Bites. In a tourniquet test for dengue, the blood capillaries are examined for their ability to withstand increased pressure. This gives a good indication for assessing the blood vessels and whether it will lead to Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) or Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF).
The tourniquet test is an important basic screening test for dengue. The WHO also suggests using the tourniquet test as a vital parameter in the diagnosis of dengue. Cao et al. mentioned that the tourniquet test was a helpful indication of dengue infection in diagnosis in highly rural areas in endemic countries. The main reason for this practice is the limited resources and the fact that there is little change in therapeutic management after receiving a definite diagnosis method.
The tourniquet test is part of the new WHO case definition for dengue. The test is a marker of capillary fragility and it can be used as a triage tool to differentiate patients with acute gastroenteritis, for example, from those with dengue. 1. Take the patient's blood pressure and record it, for example, 100/70.