Clinical features of severe cases of pandemic influenza ~ WHO

More information at the WHO website > WHO.INT



On an up note:



*edited to repair link*

:hi:

:hi:

~ Recap ~

* PREGNANT WOMAN
* CHILDREN < 2
* PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE
* DIABETICS
* NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
* DISADVANTAGED/MINORITY GROUPS
* OBESITY (Possible inflammation is a contributing factor - noted in other articles)

According to US demographics 68% of people who die are between 25 to 68. Any ideas about this discrepancy?

From

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Most+H1N1+hospitalizations+under+Study/2124517/story.html


Of 4,958 people hospitalized with lab-confirmed H1N1 between Sept. 1 to Oct. 10 in 27 states, 53 per cent were people under 25

...

Thirty-nine per cent of hospitalizations are occurring in people aged 25 to 64; only seven per cent are occurring in the elderly.

...

Normally with seasonal flu, about 60 per cent of hospitalizations occur in people 65 and older.

...

Of 292 H1N1 deaths reported from 28 states since Sept. 1, about 24 per cent involved people under age 25. About 65 per cent of the deaths are in people 25 to 64.

Just 12 per cent of deaths from swine flu since Sept. 1 are occurring in seniors 65 and up.

Normally, 90 per cent of flu fatalities occur in people 65 and older

:shrug:

Edited to add this: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/10/09/swine-flu-who-is-most-vulnerable/

I wonder if the US has higher obesity rates which contribute to the stat differences?

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/709119

SNIP

One or more underlying medical conditions was found in 66% of the children, with the most common being asthma, sickle cell disease, and encephalopathy. Other underlying conditions were pneumonia and congenital heart disease.

Although most of the children displayed the usual features of H1N1 —fever, cough, and sore throat — a striking number also had gastrointestinal symptoms (49%). In fact, the 1 death that occurred from H1N1 was attributed to gastrointestinal complications, underlying lung disease, and encephalopathy.

Fever was seen in most of the children, and neurological features of the disease were common, with 7 children experiencing febrile seizures. In addition, 35% of the children had oxygen-saturation levels below 95%, and 4 of the sickest patients required mechanical ventilation.

Thirteen of the children (16%) required admission to the ICU, and most of those children had underlying comorbidities. The findings suggest that the infection might be particularly severe in these children, the investigators say. Despite the severity of illness, length of stay in the ICU was brief. Most of the children did not have extended stays in the hospital. The mean hospitalization for the group was 4 days.

The Canadian team noted that some lessons could be drawn from their study. Most children with H1N1, even those who are hospitalized, have moderate disease, they note. However, gastrointestinal symptoms and febrile seizures are prevalent in children with H1N1. Thus, it is important that clinicians pay attention to these symptoms when evaluating children for H1N1 to improve diagnosis and treatment, the researchers advise.

/SNIP

More at the link above. :hi:

"About 70 percent of people who have been hospitalized with H1N1 flu have had one or more medical conditions..."

http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/about/h1n1/index.html