Impact of A/H1N1 influenza in children at a Brazilian University Hospital

BACKGROUND: A/H1N1 influenza is a viral disease that affects a significant part of the population mainly in winter, leading to increased number of medical consultations, hospitalizations and consequently care spending in emergency. METHODS: This is a case-series retrospective study, involving patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil in 2016 with a clinical diagnosis of acute respiratory infection of the influenza type and laboratory confirmation of influenza A/H1N1. RESULTS: 64 patients were included, mostly male, median age of 48.3 months. Chronic underlying diseases were found in 73% of the patients, and these patients evolved to the most unfavorable outcome. About vaccination, of the 57 patients with an age range for vaccination, only 28% had complete vaccination coverage. The main clinical manifestations found in the included patients were fever, cough, intercostal indrawing, wheezing, tachypnea and pulmonary crackles. These patients were mainly followed-up with laboratory tests and chest X-ray. Consolidation was evident in 43% of patients followed by interstitial infiltrate in 33%. A five-day course of neuraminidase inhibitor was prescribed for all patients, as recommended by the WHO, but due to the complications, 73% of the patients required antibiotic therapy, and 61% oxygen therapy. The majority of patients had a favorable outcome, but 11 required intensive care and one died. CONCLUSIONS: A/H1N1 influenza persists as an important public health problem, mainly due to high morbidity and hospitalization rates. It is important to identify patients with A/H1N1 influenza and clinical situations with higher risk of complications. Through this study, it is possible to analyze the characteristics of pediatric patients with A/H1N1 influenza and mainly to emphasize assistance of populations with comorbidities, since they present higher rates of complications and death.