| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2020 | Volume
: 38
| Issue : 3 | Page : 415-420 |
Characteristics and outcomes of critically ill patients with influenza A (H1N1) in the Western Balkans during the 2019 post-pandemic season
Pedja Kovacevic1, Jovan Matijasevic2, Sasa Dragic3, Biljana Zlojutro3, Srdjan Gavrilovic2, Milka Jandric3, Ana Andrijevic2, Tijana Kovacevic4, Vladimir Carapic2, Maja Travar5, Ljubisa Preradovic6, Danica Momcicevic3
1 Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska; Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Novi Sad, Serbia
2 Institute for Pulmonary Diseases, Medical School University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
3 Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska, Novi Sad, Serbia
4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Department of Pharmacy, University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska, Novi Sad, Serbia
5 Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Department of Microbiology, University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska, Novi Sad, Serbia
6 Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Novi Sad, Serbia
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Pedja Kovacevic
Filipa Kljajica Fice 49, 78000, Banja Luka
Serbia
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijmm.IJMM_20_169
Background: This study looked at the characteristics and outcomes of critically ill patients with confirmed influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 infection in the Western Balkans in the post-pandemic period. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study of medical records and associated data collected during the post-pandemic period included all mechanically ventilated adult patients of two university-affiliated hospitals of the Western Balkans between 1 January and 31 March 2019 who had influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 infection confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction from nasopharyngeal swab specimens and respiratory secretions. Results: The study included 89 patients, 49 males (55.1%), aged 56.09 ± 12.64 years. The median time from shift from hospital time to intensive care unit was 1 day (range: 1–2). In the post-pandemic period, cases observed in this study were found to have the following comorbidities: cardiovascular diseases in 44 (49.4%) patients and diabetes in 21 (23.6%) patients. Thirty-one patients (34.8%) in this study were obese. All 89 patients (100%) experienced some degree of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and 39 (44%) had multiorgan failure. Eighty-three patients (93%) were intubated and mechanically ventilated, 6 (7%) received non-invasive mechanical ventilation, 12 (13%) were treated with vvECMO and 36 (40%) received renal replacement therapy. Vasoactive support was needed by 56 (63%) patients. The median duration of mechanical ventilation was 9 (6–15.5) days. The hospital mortality rate was 44%. Conclusion: Critically ill patients with confirmed influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 infection in the post-pandemic season were older, required vasoactive drugs more often, and there was a trend of higher survival compared to H1N1 infection patients in the previous pandemic seasons.
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