Objective: To evaluate pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 in hospitalized patients in order to identify risk factors for hospitalization and, consequently, for the worsening of the disease. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted between March and December of 2010. The data were collected from the Brazilian Ministry of Health National Case Registry Database. We included only patients (inpatients and outpatients) in whom H1N1 infection was confirmed (via laboratory testing) during the study period. The variables regarding demographic and clinical characteristics were statistically evaluated in order to compare the hospitalization rates in the presence or absence of these factors. Risk factors were identified by logistic regression analysis. Results: We included 4,740 patients with laboratory confirmation of H1N1 infection. Of these, 1,911 individuals were hospitalized, and 258 (13.5%) died. The risk factors for hospitalization were age (20-29 years), African or Indigenous ethnicity, presence of specific comorbidities (heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, hemoglobinopathy, immunosuppression, diabetes, obesity, puerperium, and smoking), a high number of comorbidities, and specific symptoms (dyspnea, diarrhea, vomiting, chest pain, hemoptysis, pneumonia, and wheezing). Higher levels of education and early use of oseltamivir were found to be protective factors. Hospitalization contributed to an increase in survival. Conclusions: Knowledge of the epidemiological characteristics that can be associated with hospitalization, disease severity, and mortality can be helpful in the adoption of preventive measures, as well as in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease, which might contribute to the reduction in the numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.Keywords: Influenza A virus, H1N1 subtype; Hospitalization; Risk factors; Oseltamivir. ResumoObjetivo: Avaliar os aspectos da influenza pandêmica A (H1N1) 2009 em pacientes hospitalizados a fim de identificar os fatores de risco para o internamento e, consequentemente, para o agravamento da doença. Métodos: Estudo observacional e retrospectivo realizado entre março e dezembro de 2010. Os dados foram coletados a partir do Sistema Nacional de Agravos de Notificação do Ministério da Saúde. Foram incluídos somente os pacientes hospitalizados e não hospitalizados com confirmação laboratorial da infecção durante o período de estudo. As variáveis referentes às características demográficas e clínicas foram avaliadas estatisticamente a fim de comparar as taxas de internamento na presença ou na ausência desses fatores. Os fatores de risco foram identificados por regressão logística. Resultados: Foram incluídos no estudo 4.740 pacientes com confirmação laboratorial da infecção. Desses, 1.911 foram internados, e 258 (13,5%) foram a óbito. Os fatores de risco para o internamento foram idade (faixa etária de 20 a 29 anos), etnia negra ou indígena, presença de algumas comorbidades (cardiopatias, pneumopatias, nefropatias, hemoglobinopatia, imunodepres...

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The association of FLT3 mutations with white blood cell (WBC) counts at diagnosis and early death was studied in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Publications indexed in databases of biomedical literature were analyzed. Potential publication bias was evaluated by analyzing the standard error in funnel plots using the estimated relative risk (RR). Mixed-effect models were used to obtain the consolidated RR. All analyses were conducted using the R statistical software package. We used 24 publications in the final meta-analysis. Of 1005 males and 1376 females included in these 24 publications, 645 had FLT3-ITD (internal tandem duplication) mutations. Information on FLT3-D835 mutations was available in 10 publications for 175 patients. Concurrent occurrence of the two mutations was rare. WBC count at diagnosis was ≥10 × 109/L in 351 patients. For patients with the FLT3-ITD mutation, RR was 0.59 for overall survival (OS) and 1.62 for death during induction. For those with FLT3-D835 mutations, the RR was 0.50 for OS and 1.77 for death during induction. RR for WBC count ≥10 × 109/L was 3.29 and 1.48 for patients with FLT3-ITD and FLT3-D835, respectively. APL patients with FLT3-ITD or FLT3-D835 are more likely to present with elevated WBC counts and poorer prognosis than those without these mutations.

Tenofovir has the highest probability of reducing HBV DNA, normalizing alanine aminotransferase levels and inducing HBeAg seroconversion after 1 year of treatment. An efficacy comparison of therapies is an important tool to guide clinicians in selecting the optimal treatment option.