Abstract
Purpose: We evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics, and progress of pediatric patients hospitalized for pneumonia and laboratory-confirmed H1N1 influenza infection.
Methods: From September through December, 2009, a total of 101 patients were enrolled. They were divided into group 1 with fast respiration rate for age (n=66), and group 2 with appropriate respiration rate for age (n=35). We reviewed retrospective medical chart to collect data on the hospitalized patients.
Results: Group 1 was significantly older than group 2 (median age 7 years vs. 4years, P< 0.001), and 57% were between 6 and 8 years of age. Sixteen (24%) of the group 1 had underlying medical conditions, most of all had asthma; the other 50 were previously healthy. Oxygen saturation on admission day was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (92% v. 98%, P< 0.001) and 46 (70%) of the group 1 had hypoxia (oxygen saturation 92%). The frequency of lymphopenia was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (n=59 v. 11, P< 0.001). Some of group 1 received systemic corticosteroid therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin infusion, and oxygen supplement (respectively, n=28, 16, 48). The frequency of systemic corticosteroid therapy and oxygen supplement was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (respectively, P< 0.001).
Conclusions: H1N1 influenza infection complicated with pneumonia can cause severe illness in previously healthy children without risk factors. Multi-center study is needed to evaluate clinical and epidemiologic characteristics in pediatric patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza.
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Kim, Y., Hyun, M. 154 Clinical Aspects of Pneumonia with Tachypnea in Pediatric Patients with H1N1 Influenza. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 81 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00154
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00154