Acute Respiratory Illness Patients Research Articles

Effect of Systemic Illness and Comorbidities in the Prognosis of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness Patients: An Observational Study

Background: Globally critically ill COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease-19) patients have stretched critical care services. This study was undertaken to find factors implicated in mortality amongst COVID positive and negative patients presenting with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and factors having the probability of indicating COVID positivity.
 Methods: The demographic parameters, comorbid illness, clinical parameters and laboratory values of 327 patients were retrospectively analyzed to find the risk factors for mortality in COVID positive and negative patients and factors predicting COVID positivity amongst SARI patients.
 Results: 58% of SARI patients tested positive by RTPCR. Most common comorbidities were diabetes and hypertension, 35.2% and 33% respectively. Duration of swelling and low haemoglobin were significantly associated with mortality in COVID positive group (p=0.01, 0.005). Acidosis and tachycardia (p=0.003, 0.034) were associated with mortality amongst COVID negative. Creatinine, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and quick SOFA (qSOFA) were higher in non-survivors of both groups (p<0.001). Age, history of contact or from containment zone, cough, pain abdomen and P/F ratio were significant predictors of COVID positivity (1.020(1.006–1.035); 3.889(1.316–11.495); 2.908(1.182–7.152); 2.147(1.149–4.012); 0.997(0.994-1.000) respectively) by multivariable regression analysis.
 Conclusion: A long duration of swelling and low haemoglobin (<12 g%) were responsible for COVID positive mortality while pain abdomen, raised levels of AST, tachycardia and acidosis were associated with mortality in COVID negative. Deranged creatinine, higher SOFA and qSOFA were associated with mortality in both groups. Age, contact history, residence in containment zone, cough, pain abdomen and poor P/F ratio are predictive factors for COVID positivity.

Clinical outcomes of patients attending a flu clinic at a tertiary health-care facility in india during the covid-19 pandemic

Purpose: In response to ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic, flu clinics were set by most of the hospitals all over India to screen patients for the disease. The study aimed to find out treatment outcome of patients attending a flu clinic at a tertiary health-care facility. Methods: It is an observational study, cross-sectional in design. The study used data routinely collected at the flu clinic of a selected tertiary health-care facility of a selected state of India. Data collected between March 22, 2020, and May 31, 2020 were used for the study. Results: Among 3873 study participants, 364 (9.4%) required admission in COVID-19 isolation ward for testing, while 1536 (39.6%) were referred for further management and the rest being symptomatically managed or home quarantined. In multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis, females, lockdown phases, symptomatic, severe acute respiratory illness patients, those with contact history with a COVID-19 case, chronic comorbidities, and health worker had significantly higher odds of being admitted in COVID-19 isolation ward compared to others. Those who belonged to the age group of 16–30 years had significantly lower odds of admission. On the other hand, age, sex, lockdown phases, native district COVID-19 risk category, symptom status, chronic comorbidity, contact history, travel history. and profession were significant predictors of referral for further management. Conclusion: Half of the study participants were home quarantined or symptomatically managed. Age, sex, symptom status, contact history, travel history, chronic comorbidity, and profession were significant predictors for their treatment outcome.

Influenza vaccination coverage among persons seeking outpatient medical care for acute respiratory illness in five states in the United States, 2011–2012 through 2018–2019

BackgroundIn the United States (U.S.), annual influenza vaccination has been recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months with the Healthy People 2020 coverage target of 70%. However, vaccination coverage has remained around 42–49% during the past eight influenza seasons. We sought to quantify influenza vaccination coverage and factors associated with vaccination in persons seeking outpatient medical care for an acute respiratory illness (ARI). MethodsWe enrolled outpatients aged ≥6 months with ARI from >50 U.S. clinics from 2011 to 2012 through 2018–2019 influenza seasons and tested for influenza with molecular assays. Vaccination status was based on documented receipt of the current season’s influenza vaccine. We estimated vaccination coverage among influenza-negative study participants by study site, age, and season, and compared to state-level influenza coverage estimates in the general population based on annual immunization surveys. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine factors independently associated with receipt of influenza vaccines. ResultsWe enrolled 45,424 study participants with ARI who tested negative for influenza during the study period. Annual vaccination coverage among influenza-negative ARI patients and the general population in the participating states averaged 55% (range: 47–62%), and 52% (range: 46–54%), respectively. Among enrollees, coverage was highest among adults aged ≥65 years (82%; range, 80–85%) and lowest among adolescents aged 13–17 years (38%; range, 35–41%). Factors significantly associated with non-vaccination included non-White race, no college degree, exposure to cigarette smoke, absence of high-risk conditions, and not receiving prior season influenza vaccine. ConclusionsInfluenza vaccination coverage over eight seasons among outpatients with non-influenza respiratory illness was slightly higher than coverage in the general population but 15% lower than national targets. Increased efforts to promote vaccination especially in groups with lower coverage are warranted to attain optimal health benefits of influenza vaccine.

Implementing an Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Study in a Hospital Context in Portugal: The EVA Hospital Project.

The project 'Integrated Monitoring of Vaccines in Europe' aimed to measure seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness against hospitalised adults, aged 65 years and over, with influenza. We describe the protocol implementation in Portugal. We implemented a test-negative design, targeting community-dwelling patients aged 65 years old and over hospitalised with severe acute respiratory illness. Patients were reverse transverse-polymerase chain reaction tested for influenza. Cases were those positive for influenza while others were controls. Most variables were collected using hospital medical records. Selection bias was evaluated by comparison with the laboratory influenza test requests database according to demographic characteristics. Crude, season-adjusted influenza vaccine effectiveness was estimated as = 1 - odds ratio, and 95% confidence intervals wereobtained by conditional logistical regression, matched with the disease onset month. The recruitment rate was 37.8%. Most participants (n = 368) were female (55.8%) and aged 80 years old and over (55.8%). This was similar to values for potentially eligible severe acute respiratory illness patients (80 years old and over: 56.8%, female: 56.2%). The proportion of missing values was below 2.5% for 20 variables and above 5% (maximum 11.6%) for six variables. Influenza vaccine effectiveness estimates were 62.1% against AH1pdm09 (95% confidence intervals: -28.1 to 88.8), 14.9% against A(H3N2) (95% confidence intervals: -69.6 to 57.3), 43.6% against B/Yam (95% confidence intervals: -66.2 to 80.8). Given the non-existence of a coded admission database in either participating hospital the selection of severe acute respiratory illness due to clinical features was the feasible one. These results are only valid for the older adult population residing in the catchment area of the two participating hospitals who were admitted to a public hospital with severe influenza or SARI symptoms. Despite the low participation rate, we observed comparable characteristics of participants and eligible severe acute respiratory illness patients. Data quality was high, and influenza vaccine effectiveness results were in accordance with the results of meta-analyses and European season-specific estimates. The final sample size was low, which inhibited obtaining estimates with good precision.

2062. Improving Antibiotic Prescribing in the Ambulatory Care Setting—Stewardship through Influenza Vaccination, US Flu VE Network 2013–2014 Through 2017–2018

BackgroundImproving antibiotic use is a key strategy to combat antibiotic resistance and improve patient safety. Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a common cause of outpatient visits and accounts for ~41% of antibiotics used in the United States. We sought to determine the proportion of antibiotic prescriptions (Rx) prescribed among outpatients with ARI that can be potentially averted through influenza vaccination.MethodsFrom 2013–2014 through 2017–2018 influenza seasons, we enrolled patients aged ≥6 months with ARI in the US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (VE) Network of >50 outpatient clinics. Antibiotic Rx and diagnosis codes were collected from medical records. Study influenza test results were not available to treating clinicians at most sites, and clinical influenza testing was infrequently performed (a), prevalence of influenza among unvaccinated ARI patients (b), prevalence of antibiotic Rx among unvaccinated influenza-positive ARI patients (c) and prevalence of antibiotic Rx among ARI patients overall (d), we derived estimates of the proportion of ARI antibiotic Rx that can be averted by influenza vaccination [(a × b × c)/d].ResultsAmong 37487 outpatients with ARI, 13,316 (36%) were prescribed an antibiotic and 9,689 (26%) tested positive for influenza. Of those positive, 2,496 (26%) were prescribed an antibiotic. Adjusted VE against influenza-associated ARI was 35% (95% confidence interval (CI), 32 to 39). Among unvaccinated patients with ARI, 30% were influenza-positive and 24% received antibiotics. Based on these estimates, we determined that influenza vaccination may prevent 10.6% of all ARI syndromes and may avert 1 in 14 or 7.3% of antibiotic Rx among ARI patients.ConclusionBy preventing influenza-associated ARI syndromes, influenza vaccination may substantially reduce antibiotic prescribing. Increasing influenza vaccine coverage and improving protection may facilitate national goals to improve antibiotic use and reduce the global threat of antibiotic resistance. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve antibiotic dispensing practices for acute respiratory illness among drug sellers in pharmacies, a pilot study in Bangladesh

BackgroundInappropriate dispensing of antibiotics for acute respiratory illness (ARI) is common among drug sellers in Bangladesh. In this study, we evaluated the impact of an educational intervention to promote guidelines for better ARI management among drug sellers.MethodsFrom June 2012 to December 2013, we conducted baseline and post-intervention surveys on dispensing practices in 100 pharmacies within Dhaka city. In these surveys, drug sellers participated in 6 standardized role-playing scenarios led by study staffs acting as caregivers of ARI patients and drug sellers were blinded to these surveys. After the baseline survey, we developed ARI guidelines and facilitated a one-day educational intervention about ARI management for drug sellers. Our guidelines only recommended antibiotics for children with complicated ARI. Finally, we conducted the six month post-intervention survey using the same scenarios to record changes in drug dispensing practices.ResultsOnly 2/3 of participating pharmacies were licensed and few (11%) of drug sellers had pharmacy training. All the drug sellers were male, had a median age of 34 years (IQR 28–41). For children, dispensing of antibiotics for uncomplicated ARI decreased (30% baseline vs. 21% post-intervention; p = 0.04), but drug sellers were equally likely to dispense antibiotics for complicated ARI (15% baseline vs. 17% post-intervention; p = 0.6) and referrals to physicians for complicated ARIs decreased (70% baseline vs. 58% post-intervention; p = 0.03). For adults, antibiotic dispensing remained similar for uncomplicated ARI (48% baseline vs. 40% post-intervention; p = 0.1) but increased among those with complicated ARI (44% baseline vs. 78% post-intervention; p < 0.001). Although our evidence-based guidelines recommended against prescribing antihistamines for children, drug sellers continued to sell similar amounts for uncomplicated ARI (33% baseline vs. 32% post-intervention; p = 0.9).ConclusionsDespite the intervention, drug sellers continued to frequently dispense antibiotics for ARI, except for children with uncomplicated ARI. Pairing educational interventions among drug sellers with raising awareness about proper antibiotic use among general population should be further explored. In addition, annual licensing and an reaccreditation system with comprehensive monitoring should be enforced, using penalties for non-compliant pharmacies as possible incentives for appropriate dispensing practices.

A comparison of the test-negative and the traditional case-control study designs for estimation of influenza vaccine effectiveness under nonrandom vaccination

BackgroundAs annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all U.S. persons aged 6 months or older, it is unethical to conduct randomized clinical trials to estimate influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). Observational studies are being increasingly used to estimate VE. We developed a probability model for comparing the bias and the precision of VE estimates from two case-control designs: the traditional case-control (TCC) design and the test-negative (TN) design. In both study designs, acute respiratory illness (ARI) patients seeking medical care testing positive for influenza infection are considered cases. In the TN design, ARI patients seeking medical care who test negative serve as controls, while in the TCC design, controls are randomly selected individuals from the community who did not contract an ARI.MethodsOur model assigns each study participant a covariate corresponding to the person’s health status. The probabilities of vaccination and of contracting influenza and non-influenza ARI depend on health status. Hence, our model allows non-random vaccination and confounding. In addition, the probability of seeking care for ARI may depend on vaccination and health status. We consider two outcomes of interest: symptomatic influenza (SI) and medically-attended influenza (MAI).ResultsIf vaccination does not affect the probability of non-influenza ARI, then VE estimates from TN studies usually have smaller bias than estimates from TCC studies. We also found that if vaccinated influenza ARI patients are less likely to seek medical care than unvaccinated patients because the vaccine reduces symptoms’ severity, then estimates of VE from both types of studies may be severely biased when the outcome of interest is SI. The bias is not present when the outcome of interest is MAI.ConclusionsThe TN design produces valid estimates of VE if (a) vaccination does not affect the probabilities of non-influenza ARI and of seeking care against influenza ARI, and (b) the confounding effects resulting from non-random vaccination are similar for influenza and non-influenza ARI. Since the bias of VE estimates depends on the outcome against which the vaccine is supposed to protect, it is important to specify the outcome of interest when evaluating the bias.

Clinical Features of Influenza and Acute Respiratory Illness in Older Adults at Least 50 Years of Age in an Outpatient Setting in the Republic of Korea: a Prospective, Observational, Cohort Study

Two prospective, multi-centre, observational studies (GlaxoSmithKline [GSK] identifier No. 110938 and 112519) were performed over 2 influenza seasons (2007–2008 and 2008–2009) in the Republic of Korea (ROK) with the aim to evaluate the burden of laboratory-confirmed influenza (LCI) in patients ≥ 50 years of age seeking medical attention for acute respiratory illness (ARI). The median participant age was 58 years in the 2007–2008 season and 60 years in the 2008–2009 season. LCI was observed in 101/346 (29.2%) of ARI patients in the 2007–2008 season and in 166/443 (37.5%) of ARI patients in the 2008–2009 season. Compared to patients with non-influenza ARI, those with LCI had higher rates of decreased daily activities (60.4% vs. 32.9% in 2007–2008 and 46.4% vs. 25.8% in 2008–2009), work absenteeism (51.1% vs. 25.6% and 14.4% vs. 7.7%), and longer duration of illness. These results indicated that influenza is an important cause of ARI in adults aged 50 and older causing more severe illness than non-influenza related ARI.

A Cross-Sectional Surveillance Study of Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) in Pregnant Women

BackgroundAmong pregnant women, pneumonia is the third-leading cause of death and the most common non-obstetric infection resulting in death. Pregnant women who become infected with influenza have hospitalization rates comparable to non-pregnant women with high-risk medical conditions. Other than influenza, little is known about the consequences of viral-related ARI on the pregnant woman and the fetus. Our objective was to determine the respiratory viruses causing ARI and their clinical outcomes during pregnancy.MethodsPregnant women in their second and third trimester were enrolled prospectively at a Houston clinic between October 1, 2015 and April 30, 2016 during their regular prenatal visits. Pregnant women were enrolled if they reported having symptoms of ARI or were healthy within the preceding two weeks. Nasal-pharyngeal secretions were evaluated for respiratory viruses by real time-PCR. Clinical outcomes and complications of illness were obtained at enrollment and two weeks after the initial visit.ResultsA total of 155 pregnant women were enrolled. The average age at enrollment was 30.7 years among women with ARI and 29.7 among healthy controls. Average gestational age at enrollment was 26.0 weeks among women with ARI and 26.3 among healthy controls. Among the 91 healthy controls, 10 (11%) tested positive for a respiratory virus, with rhinovirus (n = 6) being the most common of the viruses detected. On the other hand, of the 81 cases of ARI, 51 (63%) tested positive for a virus. The most frequently detected viruses were rhinovirus (n = 22), coronavirus (n = 14), and respiratory syncytial virus (n = 8). Twelve patients reported fever during the course of their ARI. Seventeen ARI patients reported at least one symptom of lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI). Of those patients with LRTI, two reported decreased fetal heart rate and one was hospitalized for her illness.ConclusionRespiratory viruses were frequently detected in pregnant women with ARI. One-third of pregnant women with viral ARI had evidence of LRTI. Hospitalization and non-reassuring fetal heart tones were among the complications reported by pregnant women with LRTI. Viral ARI during pregnancy appears common and is associated with significant morbidity.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Use of influenza antiviral medications among outpatients at high risk for influenza-associated complications during the 2013-2014 influenza season.

During the 2013-2014 influenza season, we analyzed data from 6004 outpatients aged ≥6 months with acute respiratory illness (ARI). Among the 2786 ARI patients at higher risk for influenza complications, 835 (30%) presented to care ≤2 days from symptom onset; among those, 126 (15%) were prescribed an antiviral medication.

Use of influenza antiviral agents by ambulatory care clinicians during the 2012-2013 influenza season.

Early antiviral treatment (≤2 days since illness onset) of influenza reduces the probability of influenza-associated complications. Early empiric antiviral treatment is recommended for those with suspected influenza at higher risk for influenza complications regardless of their illness severity. We describe antiviral receipt among outpatients with acute respiratory illness (ARI) and antibiotic receipt among patients with influenza. We analyzed data from 5 sites in the US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network Study during the 2012-2013 influenza season. Subjects were outpatients aged ≥6 months with ARI defined by cough of ≤7 days' duration; all were tested for influenza by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Medical history and prescription information were collected by medical and pharmacy records. Four sites collected prescribing data on 3 common antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanate, amoxicillin, and azithromycin). Of 6766 enrolled ARI patients, 509 (7.5%) received an antiviral prescription. Overall, 2366 (35%) had PCR-confirmed influenza; 355 (15%) of those received an antiviral prescription. Among 1021 ARI patients at high risk for influenza complications (eg, aged <2 years or ≥65 years or with ≥1 chronic medical condition) presenting to care ≤2 days from symptom onset, 195 (19%) were prescribed an antiviral medication. Among participants with PCR-confirmed influenza and antibiotic data, 540 of 1825 (30%) were prescribed 1 of 3 antibiotics; 297 of 1825 (16%) were prescribed antiviral medications. Antiviral treatment was prescribed infrequently among outpatients with influenza for whom therapy would be most beneficial; in contrast, antibiotic prescribing was more frequent. Continued efforts to educate clinicians on appropriate antibiotic and antiviral use are essential to improve healthcare quality.

Etiology and Incidence of Viral and Bacterial Acute Respiratory Illness among Older Children and Adults in Rural Western Kenya, 2007–2010

BackgroundFew comprehensive data exist on disease incidence for specific etiologies of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in older children and adults in Africa.Methodology/Principal FindingsFrom March 1, 2007, to February 28, 2010, among a surveillance population of 21,420 persons >5 years old in rural western Kenya, we collected blood for culture and malaria smears, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs for quantitative real-time PCR for ten viruses and three atypical bacteria, and urine for pneumococcal antigen testing on outpatients and inpatients meeting a ARI case definition (cough or difficulty breathing or chest pain and temperature >38.0°C or oxygen saturation <90% or hospitalization). We also collected swabs from asymptomatic controls, from which we calculated pathogen-attributable fractions, adjusting for age, season, and HIV-status, in logistic regression. We calculated incidence by pathogen, adjusting for health-seeking for ARI and pathogen-attributable fractions. Among 3,406 ARI patients >5 years old (adjusted annual incidence 12.0 per 100 person-years), influenza A virus was the most common virus (22% overall; 11% inpatients, 27% outpatients) and Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bacteria (16% overall; 23% inpatients, 14% outpatients), yielding annual incidences of 2.6 and 1.7 episodes per 100 person-years, respectively. Influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus were more prevalent in swabs among cases (22%, 6%, 8% and 5%, respectively) than controls. Adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses, rhinovirus/enterovirus, parechovirus, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae were not more prevalent among cases than controls. Pneumococcus and non-typhi Salmonella were more prevalent among HIV-infected adults, but prevalence of viruses was similar among HIV-infected and HIV-negative individuals. ARI incidence was highest during peak malaria season.Conclusions/SignficanceVaccination against influenza and pneumococcus (by potential herd immunity from childhood vaccination or of HIV-infected adults) might prevent much of the substantial ARI incidence among persons >5 years old in similar rural African settings.

Physician Intervention and Patient Risk Perception among Smokers with Acute Respiratory Illness in the Emergency Department

Background. Acute Respiratory Illness accounts for over 12 million visits to emergency departments in the United States each year. Between one-fourth and one-half of these patients are smokers. We examined the frequency of physician intervention for smoking cessation among acute respiratory illness patients in the emergency department, and examined the influence of physician intervention on patients' perceived risk from smoking and motivation to quit.Methods. This study was conducted in the emergency department of a large inner-city hospital. Adult smokers (n = 63) presenting with symptoms of acute respiratory illness were surveyed by exit interview while in the emergency department. The frequency and extent of physician interventions for smoking were examined using the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research guidelines as a model. We also assessed patients' perceptions of risk from smoking, the presence of other household smokers, and the patients' motivation to quit.Results. Emergency department physicians provided incomplete and inconsistent intervention for smoking. While most patients reported being asked if they smoked, only half of smokers were advised to quit. Only 9% were offered any assistance with quitting. Risk perception was generally low, however, the majority of smokers were willing to receive on-site smoking cessation counseling while in the emergency department.Conclusions. The small sample size in this study requires that results be interpreted with caution. However, the findings of this study suggest that the emergency department setting may provide a unique “teachable moment” in which to initiate smoking cessation counseling for this high-risk population.