Clinical and Laboratory Findings of Influenza Patients: A Retrospective Study from 2013 to 2018

Influenza, a highly contagious virus, can affect both human and animal populations, leading to pandemics that can occur at any time of the year. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of influenza patients admitted to Tehran's Besat Hospital between 2013 and 2018. The research, conducted as a cross-sectional survey, included data from all hospitalized influenza patients during the specified period. The statistical population comprised 80 patients, with a nearly equal distribution between males (48.1%) and females (51.9%). A significant portion of patients (43.6%) were aged over 60.

Symptoms among the patients included fever exceeding 38 °C (81.3%), cough (77.5%), fatigue (58.8%), myalgia (57.5%), shortness of breath (48.8%), headache (43.8%), and chest pain (38.8%). CT scans of patients' lungs revealed various findings, such as no lesions (38.8%), ground-glass lesions (28.7%), consolidation lesions (12.9%), and combined consolidation and ground-glass lesions (20%). Laboratory results indicated prevalent leukopenia (40%), lymphopenia (62.5%), anemia (40%), thrombocytopenia (47.5%), and elevated inflammatory markers like ESR, CRP, LDH, and ALP (40%).

Overall, this study found similar influenza prevalence among men and women. The majority of patients were older individuals, predominantly retired workers and housekeepers with a high school education or higher. Common clinical symptoms included fever, cough, and body pain, while laboratory findings primarily impacted white blood cell counts and various inflammatory markers. Understanding these epidemiological and clinical aspects is essential for effective influenza management and prevention.