Severe Swine Flu Could Lead to Blood Clots in Lungs: Study
HealthDay News
4:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 14, 2009
http://www.ajc.com/health/severe-swine-flu-could-162969.html
People who are severely ill with the H1N1 swine flu run the risk of blood clots in the lungs, University of Michigan researchers say.
And because standard chest X-rays may not be able to spot the potentially fatal condition, more sophisticated CT scans may be needed to identify the risk, the researchers said.
Technically called a pulmonary embolism, the condition occurs when one or more arteries in the lungs become blocked. Aggressive use of blood-thinning drugs can reduce the risk of death, the researchers said.
“The high incidence of pulmonary embolism is important. Radiologists have to be aware to look closely for the risks of pulmonary embolism in severely sick patients,” study lead author Dr. Prachi P. Agarwal, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a university news release.
“With the upcoming annual influenza season in the United States, knowledge of the radiologic features of H1N1 is important, as well as the virus’s potential complications. The majority of patients with H1N1 that undergo chest X-rays have normal radiographs. CT scans proved valuable in identifying those patients at risk of developing more serious complications as a possible result of the H1N1 virus,” he added.
The Michigan study included 66 patients diagnosed with the H1N1 swine flu; 14 of those were so sick they had to be admitted to the intensive-care unit.
All 66 patients underwent chest X-rays to look for problems caused by the H1N1 virus. Pulmonary embolisms were detected by CT scans in five of the 14 intensive-care unit patients. The researchers added that initial chest X-rays were normal in more than half of the patients with H1N1 infections.
“These findings indicate that imaging studies would have to be repeated in severely ill patients to monitor disease progression,” said study co-author Dr. Ella Kazerooni, director of the University of Michigan’s division of cardiothoracic radiology. “It’s important to heighten awareness not only among the radiologists, but also among the referring clinicians.”
The study findings are to be published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
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On Tuesday, a leading disease-surveillance expert from Europe reported that the swine flu is killing fewer people than seasonal flu, but is causing greater alarm because it’s targeting an unusually large number of children, who typically are less susceptible to flu than older adults.
Denis Coulombier, head of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s preparedness and response unit, told the Agence France-Presse news service that the H1N1 swine flu has killed a very small proportion of those infected with the virus — about 0.2 to 0.3 deaths per 1,000. That compares to a fatality rate from seasonal flu of roughly one patient per 1,000, he said.
Also on Tuesday, a U.S. health official said that, while the majority of people hospitalized with the H1N1 swine flu have chronic medical conditions, many were healthy before coming down with the disease.
More than half of hospitalized adults had conditions such as asthma, chronic lung diseases, heart disease or immune system disorders, Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a press conference.
But, she added, “This virus can be serious even in people with no underlying conditions.”
Health experts warn about flying with the flu
12:58 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 14, 2009
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA-TV
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/wfaa091014_wz_swinefluplanes.216f4aa64.html
D/FW AIRPORT — When it comes to swine flu, airlines say their jets and planes are as safe as trains and schools.
The nation’s carriers are already taking precautions, and soon they may start doing health screenings at U.S. airports.
The advice from health experts continues to be: If you are feeling sick from swine flu symptoms, stay home. But what if you’re away from home and facing expensive delays in your travel plans?
That was Kimberly Koschital’s dilemma recently when her 18-month-old girl Kendall woke up sick.
“She was cranky; her fever hit about 103,” Koschital said.
Kendall’s mom wanted to reschedule their flight back to Atlanta, but making the change would have cost $500 for a one-way ticket, including a cancellation fee.
After Kendall Koschital fell ill, her mom was able to postpone their flight to Atlanta. “I was rushing there, nervous, crying,” Koschital said. “What do I do? Do I put her on the plane? Do I not put her on the plane? What if someone else is sick there? What if she gives somebody something? What if somebody gives her something worse?”
Finally, the airline offered the frantic mom some help. They rescheduled her on a Monday flight with no added fees.
But Koschital wonders how many others are facing the same tough choices.
“What do you do? Do you take your sick kids on a plane or you don’t?” she asked. “What if the airlines won’t let your kid on the plane? What do you do?”
Overseas, airlines are already conducting health screenings at airports.
“In China, for example, when I arrived there, they are checking people right on the plane,” said international traveler Oliver Schmid.
Signs now in place at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport security areas warn passengers about the H1N1 swine flu virus, advising anyone with symptoms to stay at home or avoid close contact with others.
The situation is making passengers like Curtis Pulley very uncomfortable. “On my flight out here last week, there was someone on the plane who was coughing,” he said.
Kimberly Koschital said flying with her sick daughter just wasn’t worth the risk. “I’d rather her be healthy than have to go through this,” she said.
Airlines can stop someone from boarding a jet if they have a disease that can spread to others.
Some carriers are now stowing blankets and pillows to limit transmission of germs.
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com