Infants most likely to get H1N1; older people most likely to die

William Atkins
Thursday, 05 November 2009 18:51

Science - Health

In the USA Today article “Older patients most likely to die from H1N1 influenza,” Dr. Louis  said “H1N1, like the seasonal flu, was especially severe in older people, who are more likely to have underlying health conditions.”

However, she added that older people are “... far less likely than children and young adults to contract the H1N1 flu in the first place.”

Specifically, 11% of the patients (118 in numbers) died after being hospitalized with the H1N1 flu in California. In addition, 340 patients (30%) were admitted to intensive-care units.

Of patients 50 years and older, the rate of death after being admitted to the hospital was 18 to 20%, while the rate was only 2% to patients under the age of 18 years.

Viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome were the two most common causes for deaths from the flu.

The researchers concluded, “In the first 16 weeks of the current pandemic, the median age of hospitalized infected cases was younger than is common with seasonal influenza."

"Infants had the highest hospitalization rates and persons aged 50 years or older had the highest mortality rates once hospitalized. Most cases had established risk factors for complications of seasonal influenza.” [Abstract to paper]