Influenza season 2019: analysis of 143 hospitalized cases

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroductionInfluenza virus infection is a latent public health problem, affecting millions of people through the planet, and it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. In Argentina, there is a significant absence of data regarding influenza severe respiratory disease and, therefore, a lack of knowledge about the impact of this disease at health institutions.ObjectivesAnalysis of clinical characteristics, image findings and laboratory variables in patients with influenza viruses during 2019.MethodsRetrospective, single-centre study, we analyzed all confirmed cases of influenza in a high complexity hospital from Buenos Aires.Results143 patients with influenza virus were hospitalized in this period of time. The 98.6% were infected by type A influenza, and most of them 61.5% were H1N1 subtype.Median age was 71 years (IQR 60 - 82), 77.6% were older than 70 years, and 88.1% had at least one coexisting illness. 39.1% of the patients required intensive care, 11.1% invasive mechanical ventilation and 4.1% died during hospitalization.ConclusionMortality and severity were similar to previous series of non-pandemic influenza. Analysis of annual data would be valuable in order to document the severity of influenza hospitalizations by ageJgroup and comorbidities according to the circulating influenza viruses.