Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19
Background: The appearance of COVID-19 had a major impact on healthcare and the epidemiology of other diseases. Following the cessation of non-pharmacologic interventions destined to limit the spread of COVID-19, influenza reemerged. The aim of this study was to compare the pre-pandemic influenza se...
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| author | Mihai Aronel Rus Bogdan Ghițoaica Andrei Lucian Lazăr Maria Ancuța Man Violeta Tincuța Briciu Monica Iuliana Muntean Daniel Corneliu Leucuța Mihaela Sorina Lupșe |
| author_facet | Mihai Aronel Rus Bogdan Ghițoaica Andrei Lucian Lazăr Maria Ancuța Man Violeta Tincuța Briciu Monica Iuliana Muntean Daniel Corneliu Leucuța Mihaela Sorina Lupșe |
| author_sort | Mihai Aronel Rus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The appearance of COVID-19 had a major impact on healthcare and the epidemiology of other diseases. Following the cessation of non-pharmacologic interventions destined to limit the spread of COVID-19, influenza reemerged. The aim of this study was to compare the pre-pandemic influenza seasons with the influenza seasons after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify differences in terms of clinical characteristics, risk factors, complications, outcomes, and antiviral and antibiotic treatments. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from the Teaching Hospital of Infectious Diseases database in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. We analyzed four pre-pandemic seasons and the seasons after the onset of COVID-19. We included adult patients hospitalized with confirmed influenza between October 2016 and August 2023. Variables such as age, sex, duration of hospitalization, severity, clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and Charlson comorbidity index were assessed. Results: A total of 941 patients were included in the analysis. The percentage of severe influenza was similar in both groups, but mortality from influenza was significantly lower after 2022. Virtually all patients were prescribed antivirals; antibiotic prescriptions decreased in the post-COVID-19 influenza seasons. Conclusion: The present study suggests that influenza seasons after 2022 had lower mortality and attenuated clinical presentation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:18:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-941676df41ca4884a298c2b5a63d1c9b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8247 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:18:05Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceuticals |
| spelling | doaj.art-941676df41ca4884a298c2b5a63d1c9b2024-02-23T15:30:35ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472024-01-0117218110.3390/ph17020181Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19Mihai Aronel Rus0Bogdan Ghițoaica1Andrei Lucian Lazăr2Maria Ancuța Man3Violeta Tincuța Briciu4Monica Iuliana Muntean5Daniel Corneliu Leucuța6Mihaela Sorina Lupșe7Department of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaTeaching Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaTeaching Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaBackground: The appearance of COVID-19 had a major impact on healthcare and the epidemiology of other diseases. Following the cessation of non-pharmacologic interventions destined to limit the spread of COVID-19, influenza reemerged. The aim of this study was to compare the pre-pandemic influenza seasons with the influenza seasons after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify differences in terms of clinical characteristics, risk factors, complications, outcomes, and antiviral and antibiotic treatments. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from the Teaching Hospital of Infectious Diseases database in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. We analyzed four pre-pandemic seasons and the seasons after the onset of COVID-19. We included adult patients hospitalized with confirmed influenza between October 2016 and August 2023. Variables such as age, sex, duration of hospitalization, severity, clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and Charlson comorbidity index were assessed. Results: A total of 941 patients were included in the analysis. The percentage of severe influenza was similar in both groups, but mortality from influenza was significantly lower after 2022. Virtually all patients were prescribed antivirals; antibiotic prescriptions decreased in the post-COVID-19 influenza seasons. Conclusion: The present study suggests that influenza seasons after 2022 had lower mortality and attenuated clinical presentation.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/2/181influenzaCOVID-19post-pandemicinfluenza management |
| spellingShingle | Mihai Aronel Rus Bogdan Ghițoaica Andrei Lucian Lazăr Maria Ancuța Man Violeta Tincuța Briciu Monica Iuliana Muntean Daniel Corneliu Leucuța Mihaela Sorina Lupșe Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19 Pharmaceuticals influenza COVID-19 post-pandemic influenza management |
| title | Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19 |
| title_full | Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19 |
| title_short | Changes in Epidemiology and Antibiotic Prescription of Influenza: Before and after the Emergence of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | changes in epidemiology and antibiotic prescription of influenza before and after the emergence of covid 19 |
| topic | influenza COVID-19 post-pandemic influenza management |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/2/181 |
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