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WASHINGTON - Children with chronic illness, especially respiratory illness, are more likely to develop H1N1 influenza, concludes a new study.
The study has been published in the March issue of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM).
The H1N1 study focusing exclusively on critically ill children found that children with chronic illness, especially respiratory illness, are more likely to develop H1N1 influenza that requires critical care and that the virus is likely to change course as it attacks the lungs throughout the course of the illness.
?Critical H1N1 disease in children has different and rapidly changing manifestations in the patients? lungs,? explained Dr. Nichols. ?Some children behaved as though they were having an asthma attack, while other children behaved as though they had severe pneumonia. Some children had both or switched from one to the other. These variable and changing manifestations of lung infection made life support with a mechanical ventilator challenging and required us to constantly reassess and readjust treatments
The study has been published in the March issue of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM).
The H1N1 study focusing exclusively on critically ill children found that children with chronic illness, especially respiratory illness, are more likely to develop H1N1 influenza that requires critical care and that the virus is likely to change course as it attacks the lungs throughout the course of the illness.
?Critical H1N1 disease in children has different and rapidly changing manifestations in the patients? lungs,? explained Dr. Nichols. ?Some children behaved as though they were having an asthma attack, while other children behaved as though they had severe pneumonia. Some children had both or switched from one to the other. These variable and changing manifestations of lung infection made life support with a mechanical ventilator challenging and required us to constantly reassess and readjust treatments
