CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND LUNG FUNCTION OF CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED WITH 2009 PANDEMIC INFLUENZA A (H1N1) PNEUMONIA

• Published in: Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 824 - 830
• Main Authors: UDOMITTIPONG, Kanokporn, CHOKEPHAIBULKIT, Kulkanya, SUSIVA, Chakraphan, NITHIPUNYATHUMRONG, Sirikul, MAHORAN, Khunphon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangkok SEAMO, Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network 01.07.2011; Central Coordinating Board, SEAMEO-TROPMED Project
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; General aspects; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza, Human - diagnosis; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Pandemics; Pneumology; Pneumonia, Viral - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - physiopathology; Respiratory Function Tests; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Thailand - epidemiology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Thailand; Human; Lung disease; Pneumonia; Respiratory disease; H1N1 influenza; Hospitalization; Infection; Symptomatology; Lung function; Viral disease; Influenza A (H1N1); Tropical medicine; Child
• ISSN: 0125-1562

To determine the clinical presentation and subsequent lung function following pneumonia caused by 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1), pH1N1, in children aged 5-15 years hospitalized from June to September 2009, we contacted patients meeting the criterion 3-6 months post-hospitalization. Of the 88 patients contacted, 31 (35.2%) had pH1N1 and 57 (64.8%) had infections due to other viral pathogens (non-pH1N1), the mean age was 10.4 years and 52 (59%) were boys. Compared to non-pH1N1 patients, the pH1N1 patients were more likely to have a high fever (96.8% vs 77.2%, p = 0.03), sore throat (58.1% vs 33.3%, p = 0.03), and injected pharynx (80.6% vs 40.4%, p = 0.001). At 3-6 months after pneumonia onset, means for FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75%, and PEF were within normal limit in both the pH1N1 and non-pH1N1 groups. Five (28%) of 18 pH1N1 children and 4 (20%) of 20 non-pH1N1 children had abnormal lung function results. All were restrictive type. In conclusion, pH1N1 pneumonia were more likely to present with high fever, sore throat, and pharyngeal injection than pneumonia from other viruses. About one quarter of the children who had pH1N1 had restrictive lung function 3-6 months after infection. This number did not differ from the non-pH1N1 group.