Influenza-like illness-related emergency department visits: Christmas and New Year holiday peaks and relationships with laboratory-confirmed respiratory virus detections, Edmonton, Alberta, 2004-2014.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
; 11(1): 33-40, 2017 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27442911
BACKGROUND: Emergency department (ED) visit volumes can be especially high during the Christmas-New Year holidays, a period occurring during the influenza season in Canada. METHODS: Using daily data, we examined the relationship between ED visits for the chief complaint "cough" (for Edmonton, Alberta residents) and laboratory detections for influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (for Edmonton and surrounding areas), lagged 0-5 days ahead, for non-pandemic years (2004-2008 and 2010-2014) using multivariable linear regression adjusting for temporal variables. We defined these cough-related visits as influenza-like illness (ILI)-related ED visits and, for 2004-2014, compared Christmas-New Year holiday (December 24-January 3) and non-holiday volumes during the influenza season (October-April). RESULTS: Adjusting for temporal variables, ILI-related ED visits were significantly associated with laboratory detections for influenza A and RSV. During non-pandemic years, the highest peak in ILI-related visit volumes always occurred during the holidays. The median number of holiday ILI-related visits/day (42.5) was almost twice the non-holiday median (24) and was even higher in 2012-2013 (80) and 2013-2014 (86). Holiday ILI-related ED visit volumes/100 000 population ranged from 56.0 (2010-2011) to 117.4 (2012-2013). In contrast, lower visit volumes occurred during the holidays of pandemic-affected years (2008-2010). CONCLUSIONS: During non-pandemic years, ILI-related ED visit volumes were associated with variations in detections for influenza A and RSV and always peaked during the Christmas-New Year holidays. This predictability should be used to prepare for, and possibly prevent, this increase in healthcare use; however, interventions beyond disease prevention strategies are likely needed.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio
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Vigilancia de la Población
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Infecciones por Virus Sincitial Respiratorio
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Técnicas de Laboratorio Clínico
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Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital
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Gripe Humana
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Screening_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Child
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Child, preschool
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Female
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Humans
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Infant
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Male
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Middle aged
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Newborn
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
Asunto de la revista:
VIROLOGIA
Año:
2017
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Canadá
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido