Clinical study of severe influenza virus pneumonia that caused acute respiratory failure

The mortality of the influenza virus pneumonia is on the increase caused by the decline of the vaccination for the influenza virus in Japan. The purpose of our research is to study the clinical feature of severe influenza virus pneumonia that caused acute respiratory failure. This study included 68 patients with adult influenza virus infection who consulted our hospital between October 1997 and May 1999. Six (8.8%) of 68 were diagnosed as having influenza virus pneumonia that caused acute respiratory failure. All patients with influenza virus pneumonia showed severe conditions with respiratory failure and a high-risk group. Two super high age patients had emergency status with unconsciousness. A super high age patient with influenza virus pneumonia died of aspiration pneumonia 118 days after admission. All patients with influenza virus pneumonia were received antibiotics. Although 4 of 6 patients did not respond to antibiotics, adrenocorticosteroids were administered. As the result, 3 of 4 patients, healing was achieved. We concluded that adrenocorticosteroids might be useful for treating severe influenza virus pneumonia under the administration of appropriate antibiotics.