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Clinical characteristics of Korean pediatric patients critically ill with influenza A (H1N1) virus
Author(s) -
Shin Soo Youn,
Kim Joon Hyung,
Kim Hyun Su,
Kang Young A,
Lee Ha Gyung,
Kim Jin Seok,
Lee JongKoo,
Kim Woo Kyung
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.21288
Subject(s) - medicine , oseltamivir , epidemiology , pediatrics , mortality rate , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , covid-19
Background Novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection has persisted mainly through person‐to‐person transmission in schools. However, data on critically ill patients infected with H1N1 are currently limited. This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes of pediatric patients critically ill with H1N1 infection. Methods Subjects included 30 critically ill pediatric patients reported to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) between June and November 2009. Data were obtained by medical record review and interviews with primary treating physician. Results Of the 30 patients, 14 died and 16 were discharged from the hospital with complete recovery. The median patient age was 7 years (range, 2 months to 18 years). Nineteen patients belonged to the high‐risk group. Cough was the most common initial symptom, followed by fever. In most patients, serum levels of C‐reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase were elevated. Oseltamivir, an antiviral agent, was administered to 29 patients. The most common causes of death were encephalopathy and myocarditis, with a higher mortality rate in the high‐risk group. Platelet counts were significantly lower than normal and serum aspartate aminotransferase levels significantly higher in the non‐survivors. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that Korean high‐risk pediatric patients have an elevated mortality rate following infection with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. Further studies involving high‐risk pediatric patients classified using consistent criteria are needed to confirm our results. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:1014–1020. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.