title: Influence of age on symptoms and laboratory findings at presentation in patients with influenza-associated pneumonia.
abstract: Influenza virus infection is a major respiratory infectious disease that generally induces pneumonia. The clinical manifestations of influenza virus infection and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) differ between elderly persons and younger adults. To determine the clinical features of influenza-associated pneumonia, we studied 21 adult patients with influenza-associated pneumonia, as indicated by positive test results for influenza virus antigen. At presentation, the higher-age patients (> or =75 years; n=12) with influenza-associated pneumonia had lower body temperature than did the lower-age (<75 years) patients (n=9). Conversely, the laboratory data indicated significantly higher C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in higher-age patients than that in lower-age patients. None of the 18 patients undergoing neuraminidase inhibitor therapy died, but two of three patients who did not receive this therapy died from complications of advanced pneumonia. In this study, vaccination did not appear to be an important factor for prevention of pneumonia. High-age patients with CAP have lower body temperature, raising the possibility that diagnosis and treatment may be delayed in these patients. Increased CRP levels in these patients at presentation, however, could contribute to early detection of this serious pulmonary complication.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease, Osaka Minami Medical Center, Kidohigashimachi 2-1, Kawachinagano city, Osaka 586-8521, Japan; Division of Respiratory Disease and Neurology, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Idaigaoka 1-1, Hasama-machi, Yufu city, Oita 879-5593, Japan. Electronic address: matsuno@med.oita-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Nishida Hospital, Saiki-city, Oita 876-0831, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease and Neurology, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Idaigaoka 1-1, Hasama-machi, Yufu city, Oita 879-5593, Japan; Division of Internal Medicine, Usuki Cosmos Hospital, Nagaya 1131-1, Usuki city, Oita 876-0051, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease and Neurology, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Idaigaoka 1-1, Hasama-machi, Yufu city, Oita 879-5593, Japan; Division of Internal Medicine, Usuki Cosmos Hospital, Nagaya 1131-1, Usuki city, Oita 876-0051, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Usuki Cosmos Hospital, Nagaya 1131-1, Usuki city, Oita 876-0051, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenjiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Usuki Cosmos Hospital, Nagaya 1131-1, Usuki city, Oita 876-0051, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masutomo
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Usuki Cosmos Hospital, Nagaya 1131-1, Usuki city, Oita 876-0051, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiramoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease and Neurology, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Idaigaoka 1-1, Hasama-machi, Yufu city, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Eishi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease and Neurology, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Idaigaoka 1-1, Hasama-machi, Yufu city, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001831:Body Temperature; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000150:complications*; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D009439:Neuraminidase