title: [The use of antiviral drugs in treating novel influenza A (H1N1) inpatients in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province, China, 2009 - 2010].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the use of antiviral drugs in treating the hospitalized patients of novel influence A (H1N1) in Suzhou city during the 2009 - 2010 influenza pandemic, so as to make the proper use of antiviral drugs during influenza epidemics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected 3 municipal hospitals and reviewed the medical records of hospitalized patients suffered from novel influence A (H1N1) during June 2009 to March 2010, to gather antiviral use and other related information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  98% (222/226) of the hospitalized patients received antiviral treatment. Among them, 92% (205/222) were given the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir. However, only 18% of the patients who received oseltamivir were given the treatment within 2 days after the onset of the illness. Amantadine and rimantadine were not used for any of the hospitalized patients. Through interview on the physicians, we identified that delay in seeing care, misdiagnosis, delay in laboratory diagnosis were factors affecting the timely use of oseltamivir.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the hospitalized patients suffered from novel influence A (H1N1) in the three municipal hospitals received oseltamivir treatment. However, in most occasions the drug was not used timely. Techniques of rapid detection and diagnosis for novel influenza A (H1N1) virus should be developed, and the diagnostic capabilities of the physicians improved, to increase the effectiveness of these antiviral drugs.
authors.affiliation: Suzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Suzhou 215004, China.
authors.forename: Ri-Sheng
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Zha
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bao-Ping
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Li-Jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D007297:Inpatients; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053139:Oseltamivir