title: Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic: was there a difference in the two waves in patients requiring admission to the intensive-care unit?
abstract: Influenza virus is prone to mutations that may alter the intensity of subsequent waves of infection. In this study, we evaluated whether outcomes were different in the two waves of the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic in patients admitted to the intensive-care unit. Age, gender, lag-time to presentation and APACHE-II scores were similar in both waves. Although ventilatory requirements were similar (36/37 vs. 36/39), non-significant reductions in the durations (days) of ventilation (10.3 ± 8.0 vs. 7.8 ± 9.4, p 0.11) and hospitalization (14.9 ± 10.5 vs. 12.3 ± 14.1, p 0.20) were observed in the second wave. The clinical profile and outcomes were not significantly different between the two waves among severely ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, India. kartik_ramakrishna@hotmail.com
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramakrishna
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karthik
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Surekha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karthik
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chacko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058873:Pandemics; D012307:Risk Factors