Clinical Aspects of Pneumonia with Tachypnea in Pediatric Patients with Influenza H1N1.
- Author:
Bo Geum CHOI
1
;
Dong Won LEE
;
Yeo Hyang KIM
;
Myung Chul HYUN
;
Hee Jung LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. kimyhped@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Multicenter Study ; Original Article
- Keywords:
Child;
Influenza;
Pneumonia
- MeSH:
Anoxia;
Asthma;
Child;
Humans;
Immunoglobulins;
Influenza, Human;
Lymphopenia;
Oxygen;
Pneumonia;
Respiratory Rate;
Retrospective Studies;
Tachypnea
- From:Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease
2010;20(2):114-121
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: We evaluated the clinical/laboratory characteristics and progress of pediatric patients hospitalized for pneumonia and laboratory-confirmed H1N1 influenza infection. METHODS: A total of 101 patients were enrolled. They were divided into 2 groups: group 1 with a fast respiration rate for age (n=66) and group 2 with an appropriate respiration rate for age (n=35). We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts to collect data on the hospitalized patients. RESULTS: Patients were significantly older in group 1 than in group 2 (median age, 7 vs. 4 years, p<0.001) and 59.0% were between 6 and 8 years of age. Sixteen patients (24.2%) in group 1 had underlying medical conditions, most of whom had asthma, and 50 were previously healthy. Oxygen saturation on admission day was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (92% vs. 98%, p<0.001) and 42 patients (63.6%) in group 1 had hypoxia (oxygen saturation <= 92%). The frequency of lymphopenia was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (n=59 vs. 11, p<0.001). Some patients in group 1 received systemic corticosteroid therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin infusion and oxygen supplement (n=28, n=16, n=48, respectively). The frequency of systemic corticosteroid therapy and oxygen supplement was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (p<0.001 for each). CONCLUSION: H1N1 influenza infection complicated by pneumonia can cause severe illness in previously healthy children more than 6 years old and in children with uncontrolled allergic disease. Multi-center studies are needed to evaluate the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of pediatric patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza.
