Clinical Features and Factors Associated with Outcomes of Patients Infected with a Novel Influenza A (H7N9) Virus: A Preliminary Study

Objective: The present study aimed to analyze clinical features and factors associated with treatment outcomes of H7N9 influenza A virus infection. Methods: The clinical progress in 18 H7N9-infected patients was monitored and recorded. The clinical features of H7N9 infection were noted and factors associated with treatment outcomes were analyzed by univariate analyses. Results: The average ages of patients in recovered and critical conditions were 67.0 +/- 10.83 years and 72.75 +/- 12.0 years, respectively. Renal insufficiency developed more frequently in critically ill patients (P = 0.023). The duration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy was longer in recovered patients than in critically ill patients (P = 0.01). Laboratory tests showed that levels of C-reactive protein, serum creatinine, and myoglobin were significantly higher in critically ill patients than in recovered patients (P = 0.011, 0.04, and 0.016, respectively). Meanwhile, levels of all T cell subsets examined including total CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), and CD45(+) T cells were lower in critically ill patients than in recovered patients (P = 0.033, 0.059, 0.015, and 0.039, respectively). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that C-reactive protein level, myoglobin level and TCM therapy duration were likely associated with treatment outcomes of H7N9 infection (P = 0.032, 0.041 and 0.017, respectively). Conclusion: Elderly people may have increased risk for H7N9 virus infection. T cell-mediated responses play an important role in defense against the H7N9 virus. C-reactive protein level, myoglobin level and TCM duration may be associated with treatment outcomes of H7N9 infection.