Investigation of comorbidity in children aged 0-18 during the 2017-2018 flu season

ABSTRACT Influenza viruses are segmented, negative stranded RNA viruses in the Orthomyxoviridae family. Influenza viruses often cause diseases associated with cough and other respiratory symptoms. Influenza viruses may cause fever, chills, weakness, headache, dizziness, gastrointestinal disturbances and myalgia from systemic symptoms. In our study, The influenza PCR test results of patients aged 0-18 years who were admitted to the outpatient clinics of Pediatrics Department of Istanbul Medical Faculty between October 2017 and May 2018 were evaluated. The results were taken from the hospital automation system. In this study, the clinical and epidemiological data of these patients were evaluated retrospectively and their findings were obtained. The total number of patients was 880 and all patients were between 0-18 years of age. Considering the number of patients in terms of age groups; It was determined that 444 patients were between 0-2 years old, 256 patients between 3-6 years old, 117 patients between 7-12 years of age and 63 patients between 13-18 years of age. 499 of the patients were male and 391 were female and 431 patients were hospitalized and 449 patients were admitted as outpatients. At least one comorbidity was present in 324 (36.8%) of the patients included in the study. Influenza was found to be positive in 157 (17.8%) of the patients, and it was found that 92 of these patients were positive for influenza A (H1N1), 57 for influenza B and 8 for influenza A (H3N2). When examined in terms of age groups influenza positivity was found to be statistically higher in the age group of 0-2 (p=0.001). In terms of comorbidities, asthma and metabolic diseases were found to be significantly higher in the influenza positive group and no significant difference was found between the positive and negative groups in terms of other comorbidities.When our study and similar studies were evaluated together; the investigation of the comorbidities of the patients to be investigated in terms of influenza shows the importance of examining the course of the disease, the need for hospitalization and the duration of hospitalization and the importance of examining them in this patient group. Key Words: Influenza Viruses, Comorbidity, Pediatric Patients