title: Epidemiology and clinical presentation of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) among hospitalized children in Kuwait.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children hospitalized for the 2009 influenza A H1N1 infection in Kuwait.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review of hospitalized children with laboratory-confirmed influenza A H1N1 infection in two hospitals in Kuwait was conducted. Epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, risk factors for severe disease, complications and mortality were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The medical records of 197 children hospitalized for the 2009 pandemic H1N1 infection from August 2009 to January 2010 were reviewed. The majority of the children (104; 52.8%) were admitted during the month of October. The median age was 2 years. Most of the admitted children were in two age categories: 64 infants ≤1 year (32%) and 62 schoolchildren >5 years (31%). The most frequent presentations were fever in 193 (98%), cough in 155 (79%) and runny nose in 105 (53%) cases. The majority of the admitted children (109; 55%) had been previously healthy. All children received an antiviral agent (oseltamivir), and antibiotics were administered to 147 (75%). Bacterial co-infections occurred in 3 (1.5%) of all hospitalized children. Six (3%) children were admitted to the intensive care unit, of whom 4 (66%) required artificial ventilation. There was only 1 mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pandemic H1N1 infection was associated with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. The majority of hospitalized children had previously been healthy. Most of the admitted children had an uncomplicated clinical course.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
authors: Abdullah F
authors: AF
authors: Owayed
authors: Entesar H
authors: EH
authors: Husain
authors: Ahmad
authors: A
authors: Al-Khabaz
authors: Hanan Y
authors: HY
authors: Al-Qattan
authors: Nufoud
authors: N
authors: Al-Shammari
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011634:Public Health; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053139:Oseltamivir