Abstract
An analysis was made of 44 critically ill patients who were admitted to ICU with 2010 influenza. Children (under 16 years of age) accounted for 19, and adults 25. All children survived, but 13 adults (52%) died. Duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, and hospital admission were all shorter in children compared to adults (6 vs 12 days, 7 vs 17 days, and 14 vs 26 days, respectively). Compared to adults, consciousness disorder was frequently observed, but multiple organ failure was rare in children. Only 1 child and 14 adults were treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and the child survived but 9 adults died. Maximum PEEP and maximum peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) were lower in children compared to adults (8 vs 19 cmH2O, and 25 vs 30 cmH2O, respectively). High dose steroids were administered less frequently in children (32% vs 56%). Sivelestat sodium hydrate was not administered in children, but was administered in 52% of adult patients. Since the number of patients studied was small and the database had a selection bias (sampling bias), the results of this analysis are difficult to generalize.
