Pandemic influenza A/[H1N1] 2009: chest x-ray findings among pregnant women at Queen Alia Military Hospital

ABSTRACT

Revision of chest radiograph findings in pregnant women with laboratory confirmed influenza A [H1N1] 2009 virus infection. A total number of 134 patients attended Queen Alia Hospital with suspicion of H1N1 virus infection, 56 cases were confirmed to have Influenza A [H1N1] infection by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. These 56 women were admitted to our hospital and form our study population. Group 1 was formed by patients admitted to intensive care unit and required mechanical ventilation [no. 4/56]. Group 2 was formed by the patients with admission to the ward [no. 52/56]. All chest X-rays of those patients were evaluated for the pattern [consolidation, ground glass and nodules], distribution and extent of abnormality. Four patients representing group 1 who were admitted to intensive care unit and needed mechanical ventilation consequently died. All of them had abnormal initial chest x -ray. Of those 3/4 [75%] had bilateral lung involvement in the form of consolidation with lower zone predominance. Of the n=52 admitted patients, n=39 [75%] had abnormal initial chest X-ray. Of these, eight patients had bilateral consolidation. Lower zone predominance was noted in n=22 patients [56.5%]. None of those patients died. Chest x-ray was normal in 13/56 of patients initially, but rapid deterioration was noted in significant number of patients. Lower zones were slightly predominant than central zones [2518] and the predominant pattern of involvement was consolidation