title: Prevalence, clinical presentations and complications among hospitalized children with influenza pneumonia.
abstract: Viral respiratory tract infections are a major cause of hospitalization in children. Influenza is common but often not laboratory proven. We report a prospective study of children admitted with a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia. Infants and children (ages 1 month-15 years) who were hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia were enrolled in the study. Their nasopharyngeal aspirated samples were analyzed for common respiratory viruses, including influenza virus, by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or PCR. Out of 257 patients, we identified 127 (49.4%) cases with respiratory viruses, and influenza was found in 32 of these cases (12.5%). Other common respiratory viruses included respiratory syncytial virus in 42 (16.3%), human metapneumovirus in 24 (9.3%), adenovirus in 17 (6.6%) and parainfluenza virus in 12 (4.7%). The median age of the influenza group was 2 years and 3 months, and 27 (84%) of children in this group were under the age of 5. Asthma was the most common co-morbidity (4/32, 12.5%). Common clinical presentations were fever and cough (100%) with crepitations (90%). The median length of hospitalization was 6 days. Three patients developed respiratory failure, with one mortality (3.1%). One child developed infection-associated hemophagocytic syndrome. Our study demonstrated that young children had a high risk of hospitalization due to influenza pneumonia, which contributed to a significant morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Rujsam@hotmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samransamruajkit
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiranrat
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chieochansin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sritippayawan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deerojanawong
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prapphal
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poovorawan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification