# 3982
As we get deeper into this pandemic, we are getting more studies from around the world on the types of patients most likely to be hospitalized, and their lengths of stay.
While there may be some variations in patient profiles from around the world, asthma continues to be one of the biggest risk factors, generally followed by chronic respiratory disease and immunosuppression.
From Eurosurveillance we get a study out of Ireland, based on more than 200 hospitalizations between April and October of this year, that gives us some badly needed detail on hospitalized patient profiles.
While comorbid conditions such as asthma obviously play a part, it should be noted that slightly more than half of those hospitalized fell into no recognized risk group.
A few excerpts from the study below:
Eurosurveillance, Volume 14, Issue 44, 05 November 2009
Rapid communications
G Cullen, J Martin , J O’Donnell, M Boland, M Canny, E Keane, A McNamara, A O’Hora, M Fitzgerald, S Jackson, D Igoe, D O’Flanagan
From 28 April 2009 to 3 October 2009, 205 cases of confirmed pandemic H1N1 influenza were hospitalised in Ireland. Detailed case-based epidemiological information was gathered on all hospitalised cases.
Age-specific hospitalisation rates were highest in the age group of 15 to 19 year-olds and lowest in those aged 65 years and over.
Nineteen hospitalised cases (9%) were admitted to intensive care units (ICU) where the median length of stay was 24 days. Four hospitalised cases (2%) died.
Fifty-one percent of hospitalised cases and 42% of ICU cases were not in a recognised risk group. Asthma was the most common risk factor among cases; however, people with haemoglobinopathies and immunosuppression were the most over-represented groups.
From the Irish Examiner, a good synopsis of the above study. I’ve excerpted some passages, but follow the link to read it in its entirety.
Asthma medication is most common swine flu ‘risk factor’
By Catherine Shanahan
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
BEING on medication for asthma is the most common risk factor for hospitalisation due to swine flu, according to a study of the first 205 pandemic patients admitted to Irish hospitals.
The assessment also found hospitalisation rates have been shifting to younger age groups, with the highest rate initially in teenagers and currently in children under five years.
The analysis of data by members of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and public health doctors in the HSE, revealed that:
- After asthma, the most common risk factors for hospitalisation were chronic respiratory disease and immunosuppression (where the immune system is suppressed due to illness).
- The most common risk factor in admission to intensive care was chronic respiratory disease followed by chronic neurological disease, asthma and severe obesity.
- Pneumonia was the most common complication. Of 40 patients that developed pneumonia, just 17 were in a risk group.
- Hospitalisation rates were lowest in the over 65.
- 51% of hospitalised cases and 42% of ICU cases were not in a recognised risk group.
<SNIP>
The median length of stay in hospital was two days for cases under the age of 24 years but increasing to seven days in adults over 65 years. Asthma was associated with a mean length of stay of six days.
