Journal of Clinical Pediatrics ›› 2025, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3): 177-183.doi: 10.12372/jcp.2025.24e0881

• Original Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Analysis of risk factors for death from influenza A (H1N1)-associated encephalopathy in children

LI Shanshan1, HU Dandan2()   

  1. 1. Emergency Department, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen 518038, Guangdong, China
    2. Child Healthcare Department, Women and Children's Medical Center Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
  • Received:2024-08-27 Accepted:2025-01-08 Published:2025-03-15 Online:2025-02-27

Abstract:

Objective To explore the risk factors of death from influenza A (H1N1)-associated encephalopathy (IAE) in children, and to provide evidence for early clinical diagnosis and intervention. Methods The clinical data of children with H1N1 IAE admitted to the hospital from January 2014 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into the survival group and the death group according to prognosis. The risk factors associated with death in children with H1N1 IAE were analyzed by binary logistic regression. Results A total of 59 children (39 boys and 20 girls) with H1N1 IAE were included. The median age was 42 (21-73) months, and 66.1% (39/59) of the children were <5 years old. The median time between the onset of neurological symptoms and fever was 1 (0.5-2) days. Thirty-three patients (55.9%) had severe pneumonia and respiratory failure, and 1 of them had plastic bronchitis. Fifty-eight children were treated with oseltamivir. The median time from onset to use of anti-influenza drugs was 2 (1-4) days. Forty-eight patients were discharged from hospital with improvement and 11 died (18.6%). The median time from admission to death was 3 (1-5) days. Compared with the survival group, the death group presented higher incidences of consciousness disorder, respiratory failure, and brain herniation, a greater proportion of cases requiring mechanical ventilation treatment, a higher neutrophil count, elevated levels of procalcitonin, blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase, a longer prothrombin time, a higher ratio of abnormal head CT findings, and a lower monocyte count. All the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The results of binary logistic regression analysis revealed that elevated neutrophil count and lactate dehydrogenase levels might be associated with the occurrence of death in children with H1N1 IAE (P<0.05). Conclusions For children with H1N1 IAE, the risk of death may increase with elevated neutrophil counts and lactate dehydrogenase levels.

Key words: influenza A (H1N1), encephalopathy, death, risk factor, child