The severity and risk factors for mortality in immunocompromised adult patients hospitalized with influenza-related pneumonia

OBJECTIVE: To explore disease severity and risk factors for 30-day mortality of adult immunocompromised (IC) patients hospitalized with influenza-related pneumonia (Flu-p). METHOD: A total of 122 IC and 1191 immunocompetent patients hospitalized with Flu-p from January 2012 to December 2018 were recruited retrospectively from five teaching hospitals in China. RESULTS: After controlling for confounders, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that immunosuppression was associated with increased risks for invasive ventilation [odds ratio: (OR) 2.475, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.511–4.053, p < 0.001], admittance to the intensive care unit (OR: 3.247, 95% CI 2.064–5.106, p < 0.001), and 30-day mortality (OR: 3.206, 95% CI 1.926–5.335, p < 0.001) in patients with Flu-p. Another multivariate logistic regression model revealed that baseline lymphocyte counts (OR: 0.993, 95% CI 0.990–0.996, p < 0.001), coinfection (OR: 5.450, 95% CI 1.638–18.167, p = 0.006), early neuraminidase inhibitor therapy (OR 0.401, 95% CI 0.127–0.878, p = 0.001), and systemic corticosteroid use at admission (OR: 6.414, 95% CI 1.348–30.512, p = 0.020) were independently related to 30-day mortality in IC patients with Flu-p. Based on analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), the optimal cutoff for lymphocyte counts was 0.6 × 10(9)/L [area under the ROC (AUROC) = 0.824, 95% CI 0.744—0.887], sensitivity: 97.8%, specificity: 73.7%]. CONCLUSIONS: IC conditions are associated with more severe outcomes in patients with Flu-p. The predictors for mortality that we identified may be valuable for the management of Flu-p among IC patients. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12941-021-00462-7.