Clinical Characteristics of Hospitalized Patients with Viral Pneumonia Diseases, September 2017 – April 2018

Objectives: Respiratory tract infections stemming from viruses cause a wide range of respiratory illnesses from rhinitis to pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheobronchitis and pneumonia. This situation leads to a loss of time, hospitalization and morbidityIn very young and elderly people, it can cause severe illness and death in immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study is to determine the clinical characteristics of patients who underwent multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test from September 2017 to April 2018.
 

Methods: The files of 100 patients who were hospitalized to University of Health Sciences Konya Training and Research Hospital, with the application to Chest Diseases Polyclinic and emergency service between the dates September 2017 and April 2019 were examined by the chest diseases specialist and their demographic data, clinical, radiological and laboratory findings were obtained from their files.
 

Results: 39% of the patients were female and 61% were male and the mean age was 58.37±16.8. 76% of the patients with the RT-PCR test was positive and InfluenzaA (New H1N1) (44%), RSVA, RSVB, bocavirus, metapneumovirus, rhinovirus, coronovirus, parainfluenza 3-4, seasonal H1N1 viruses were detected. The most common symptoms were cough and shortness of breath (92%) and fever (80%). 63% of the patients had pneumonia and 61% had bilateral infiltrations on radiography. 18% of patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 10% were treated with IMV. %91 of the patients were discharged with cure and 9% were dead. When patients with pneumonia compared with those without pneumonia, they were observed to have a high CRP, procalcitonin and sedimentation (p<0.05). In patients with pneumonia, the intensive care hospitalization (p=0.006) and radiological bilateral infiltration were significantly higher (p<0.0001). Characteristics of InfluenzaA (New H1N1) leading to pneumonia was statistically significant in comparison with other viruses (p<0.0001).
 

Conclusion: In the study, viral etiological agents were found with a high proportion in the patients hospitalized with RT-PCR test was positive. Viral agents have been detected to be the cause of pneumonia and COPD attacks in the seasonal period as a reason for the hospitalization. In viral pneumonia, bilateral infiltration has been prominent in the lungs radiologically. As a result, it should be kept in mind that radiological findings and RT-PCR test are important in diagnosis and that viral etiology in adult community-acquired pneumonia is of great importance. Advances in the etiological diagnosis of viral infections seem to be particularly necessary to avoid unnecessary antibiotic therapy and ensure the isolation of infected patients.