Prevalence of microbiologically-confirmed influenza in patients with influenza-like illness in primary care and clinical and epidemiological characteristics
Objectives. We evaluated the prevalence of microbiologically-confirmed influenza infection among patients with influenza-like symptoms and compared the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with and without influenza infection. Methods. Retrospective study of a cohort of patients...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2021 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau) |
| Repositorio: | r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com:p7757 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=7757 https://ddd.uab.cat/record/270254 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Influenza Human Primary Health Care Symptom Assessment Diagnosis |
| Sumario: | Objectives. We evaluated the prevalence of microbiologically-confirmed influenza infection among patients with influenza-like symptoms and compared the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with and without influenza infection. Methods. Retrospective study of a cohort of patients with influenza-like symptoms from 2016 to 2018 who participated in a clinical trial in thirteen urban primary centres in Catalonia. Different epidemiological data were collected. Patients rated the different symptoms and signs on a Likert scale (absent, little problem, moderate problem and severe problem) and self-reported the measure of health status with the EuroQol visual analogue scale. A nasopharyngeal swab was taken for microbiological isolation of influenza and other microorganisms. Results. A total of 427 patients were included. Microbiologically confirmed influenza was found in 240 patients (56.2%). The percentage of patients with moderate-to-severe cough, muscle aches, tiredness and dizziness was greater among patients with microbiologically confirmed influenza. The self-reported health status was significantly lower among patients with true flu infection (mean of 36.3 +/- 18.2 vs 41.7 +/- 17.8 in patients without influenza; p<0.001). Conclusion. Clinical findings are not particularly useful for confirming or excluding the diagnosis of influenza when intensity is not considered. However, the presence of moderate-to-severe cough, myalgias, tiredness and dizziness along with a poor health status is more common in patients with confirmed flu infection. |
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