Influenza season 2019: analysis of 143 hospitalized cases

Abstract

Introduction Influenza virus infection is a latent public health problem, affecting millions of people through the planet, and it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. In Argentina, there is a significant absence of data regarding influenza severe respiratory disease and, therefore, a lack of knowledge about the impact of this disease at health institutions. Objectives Analysis of clinical characteristics, image findings and laboratory variables in patients with influenza viruses during 2019. Methods Retrospective, single-centre study, we analyzed all confirmed cases of influenza in a high complexity hospital from Buenos Aires. Results 143 patients with influenza virus were hospitalized in this period of time. The 98.6% were infected by type A influenza, and most of them 61.5% were H1N1 subtype. Median age was 71 years (IQR 60 - 82), 77.6% were older than 70 years, and 88.1% had at least one coexisting illness. 39.1% of the patients required intensive care, 11.1% invasive mechanical ventilation and 4.1% died during hospitalization. Conclusion Mortality and severity were similar to previous series of non-pandemic influenza. Analysis of annual data would be valuable in order to document the severity of influenza hospitalizations by age‐group and comorbidities according to the circulating influenza viruses.