title: Clinical characteristics and outcomes among pediatric patients hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical and epidemiologic features and outcomes among children hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the charts of hospitalized pediatric patients (<18 years) diagnosed with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea, between September 2009 and February 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 72 children were hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection (median age, 6.0 years; range, 2 months to 18 years). A total of 40% had at least 1 underlying medical condition, including asthma (17%), malignancies (19%), and heart diseases (17%). Of the 72 patients, 54 (76%) children admitted with H1N1 infection showed radiographic alterations compatible with pneumonia. There was no significant difference in pre-existing conditions between pandemic influenza A/H1N1 infected patients with or without pneumonia. Children with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 pneumonia were more likely to have a lower lymphocyte ratio (P=0.02), higher platelet count (P=0.02), and higher level of serum glucose (P=0.003), and more commonly presented with dyspnea than did those without pneumonia (P=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant differences in age, sex, or presence of preexisting conditions were found between children hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 H1N1 influenza infection with pneumonia and those without pneumonia. Higher leukocyte count, higher glucose level, and a lower lymphocyte ratio were associated with the development of pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ju-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Hyung-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Sung-Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Byoung-Ju
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soo-Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
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