Isr Med Assoc J
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During an influenza pandemic, clinicians need easily available clinical and laboratory criteria to distinguish influenza from similar respiratory illnesses. We compared A/H1N1/2009-polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive and matched PCR-negative hospitalized patients with suspected H1N1 influenza to identify factors that could assist physicians at patient admission. ⋯ Under the conditions generated by the A/ H1 1/2009 pandemic, radiological findings did not distinguish reliably between influenza and other febrile respiratory illnesses. Asthma, military service, the pandemic case definition (particularly fever, cough and myalgia)
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Comparative Study
Why do geriatric patients attend otolaryngology emergency rooms?
With an aging population, health care of the elderly population is becoming increasingly important; however, the principles of geriatric medicine and issues of concern specific to geriatric otolaryngologic patients have not been widely applied. ⋯ More than 65% of visits of the elderly presenting to ENT-ED involve true emergencies. This growing population may benefit from the presence of geriatric specialists in emergency departments.