Influenza season 2019: analysis of 143 hospitalized cases

Introduction Influenza virus infection is a latent public health problem, affecting millions of people through the planet, and it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. In Argentina, there is a significant absence of data regarding influenza severe respiratory disease and, therefore, a lack of knowledge about the impact of this disease at health institutions. Objectives Analysis of clinical characteristics, image findings and laboratory variables in patients with influenza viruses during 2019. Methods Retrospective, single-centre study, we analyzed all confirmed cases of influenza in a high complexity hospital from Buenos Aires. Results 143 patients with influenza virus were hospitalized in this period of time. The 98.6% were infected by type A influenza, and most of them 61.5% were H1N1 subtype. Median age was 71 years (IQR 60 - 82), 77.6% were older than 70 years, and 88.1% had at least one coexisting illness. 39.1% of the patients required intensive care, 11.1% invasive mechanical ventilation and 4.1% died during hospitalization. Conclusion Mortality and severity were similar to previous series of non-pandemic influenza. Analysis of annual data would be valuable in order to document the severity of influenza hospitalizations by ageJgroup and comorbidities according to the circulating influenza viruses. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement Authors received no specific funding for this work. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee from our hospital in October 2019. All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable. Yes All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.