Flu at a central hospital in the 2018 epidemic peak

Abstract

Introduction: Influenza constitutes a global threat to public health aggravated by increased life expectancy. It is responsible for countless hospitalizations, deaths and expenditures in the health sector every year. Objectives: To characterize and determine the analytical profile of the sample diagnosed with influenza in a Central Hospital during the month of January, 2018. The following variables were analyzed: age, gender, discharge diagnosis, hospitalization time and analytical alterations. Material and methods: Retrospective observational study with clinical data collection (ALERT and SClinico) and data processing in Microsoft Excel®. A total of 131 patients were selected as a positive Xpert FLU Kit (GeneXpert®) aged ≥18 years. Results: 58.8% of the patients were female and the mean age was 67.1 years. 20.6% were type A flu, of which 9% were H1N1 and 79.4% were type B flu. At the analytical level: 63.6% of the patients had no changes in leukocytes at admission (of these 62.8% they had neutrophilia and 65.1% relative lymphopenia) and 46.5% thrombocytopenia. Discussion: The present study also allowed to evaluate the diagnostic approach to influenza and establish an analytical profile of the suspicion of the patient with influenza. Conclusion: The analytical profile allows, together with the clinic, a suspicious orientation for the management of rapid virological diagnostic resources, important for the initiation of antiviral therapy, implementation of infection control and prevention measures for flu patients. Positivity implied a high number of hospitalizations in isolation that merited reflection on hospital, clinical and economic management.