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BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present retrospective study was to examine the clinical differences between patients hospitalized with H1N1 virus and those hospitalized with nonvirus respiratory tract infection in 2009 and 2010. METHODS: Adult patient data were collected from three tertiary hospital centers. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing was used to confirm the diagnosis. We included 106 H1N1-positive patients (52 from 2009 and 54 from 2010). These data were compared with those from 108 patients with H1N1-negative respiratory tract infection (51 patients from 2009 and 57 from 2010). RESULTS: In 2009, the mean age was 36.4 years for H1N1-positive patients versus 46.4 years for H1N1-negative patients, and mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.4 kg/m(2) patients and 28.1 kg/m(2), respectively. In 2009, seven patients required intubation, six of whom were H1N1-positive. In 2010, the mean age was 43.8 years for H1N1-positive patients versus 60.2 years for H1N1-negative patients, and mean BMI was 32.3 kg/m(2) and 26.9 kg/m(2), respectively. In 2010, six patients required intubation, three of whom were H1N1-positive. Abnormal chest x-ray findings were found significantly more frequently in H1N1-negative patients than in H1N1-positive patients. CONCLUSION: In comparison with 2009, H1N1-positive patients in 2010 were older, were more likely to be obese, and had more severe clinical and laboratory perturbations. However, this did not affect their outcomes. H1N1-negative patients were older in comparison with those who were H1N1-positive, and had more severe clinical and laboratory perturbations.
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BACKGROUND: The first positive patient with influenza A (H1N1) was recorded in March 2009 and the pandemic continued with new outbreaks throughout 2010. This study's objective was to quantify the total cost of inpatient care and identify factors associated with the increased cost of the 2009-2010 influenza A pandemic in comparison with nonviral respiratory infection. METHODS: In total, 133 positive and 103 negative H1N1 patients were included from three tertiary care hospitals during the two waves of H1N1 in 2009 and 2010. The health costs for protective equipment and pharmaceuticals and hospitalization (medications, laboratory, and diagnostic tests) were compared between H1N1 positive and negative patients. RESULTS: The objective of the study was to quantify the means of daily and total costs of inpatient care. Overall, cost was higher for H1N1 positive (61,0117.72) than for H1N1-negative patients (464,923.59). This was mainly due to the protection measures used and the prolonged hospitalization in intensive care units. In H1N1-negative patients, main contributors to cost included additional diagnostic tests due to concern regarding respiratory capacity and laboratory values, as well as additional radiologic and microbial culture tests. The mean duration of hospitalization was 841 days for H1N1 positive and 829 days for negative patients. CONCLUSION: Cost was higher in H1N1 patients, mainly due to the protection measures used and the increased duration of hospitalization in intensive care units. An automated system to monitor patients would be desirable to reduce cost in H1N1 influenza.
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AIMS: Serotonin has been related to appetite and body weight control. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association of the -1438 /A promoter polymorphism of the serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2AR) gene with obesity-related variables and response to sibutramine. PATIENTS/METHODS: We examined the potential impact of this polymorphism on obesity and related metabolic traits in a cohort of 234 overweight/obese and 103 lean Greek subjects. Additionally, we examined whether the 5HT2AR 1438A/G polymorphism influences weight reduction and change in body composition among 106 out of these subjects, who were treated with 15 g sibutramine. Genotyping was carried out by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme analysis. RESULTS: Body mass index, fat mass, and waist circumference were not significantly different across the 5HT2AR 1438A/G genotype groups in overweight/obese women. Polymorphic G allele was associated with higher triglyceride and insulin levels but not with other biochemical and metabolic parameters. Distribution of genotypes and alleles was not different between responders and nonresponders (weight loss >5 or <5 g). CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, it seems unlikely that the 5HT2AR 1438 /A polymorphism has a major impact on obesity and related traits or the response to sibutramine in Greek overweight/obese subjects.
