Table 1 Symptoms and characteristics of participants aged ≥60 years with and without influenza presenting to emergency departments, Ontario, Canada, 2011/12 and 2012/13
From: Predictors of influenza among older adults in the emergency department
Participant characteristics/symptomsa | No Influenza | Influenza | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
n = 1167 (%) | n = 151 (%) | ||
Age, median (IQR) | 76.1 yrs (IQR 68.4–84.1) | 77.4 yrs (IQR 68.9–86.1) | .35 |
Female sex | 578 (50) | 78 (52) | .62 |
Used public transportation ≤4 days before onset | 160 (14) | 23 (15) | .62 |
Children (≤16 years) in household | 98 (8) | 17 (11) | .26 |
Works with children | 14 (1) | 5 (3) | .06 |
Exposed to person with ILI ≤7 days before onset | 275 (24) | 64 (42) | <.001 |
Material deprivation index†, Median | 3 (IQR 1–4) | 3 (IQR 2–5) | .001 |
White/Caucasian | 895 (78) | 105 (70) | .03 |
Influenza vaccine, current season | 768 (66) | 100 (68) | .75 |
Pulmonary /cardiac disease or immunosuppressed | 709 (61) | 93 (62) | .84 |
Frail (≥5 on Clinical Frailty Score) | 309 (27) | 36 (24) | .35 |
Enrolment season: | Â | Â | Â |
 2011/12 | 563 (93) | 43 (7) | <.001 |
 2012/13 | 604 (85) | 108 (15) |  |
Enrolled week when ≥10 % of influenza tests positive | 1057 (91) | 149 (99) | <.001 |
Healthcare use prior to ED arrival | |||
Prior consultation with health practitioner | 465 (40) | 66 (44) | .34 |
Antibiotics prescribed | 187 (16) | 40 (26) | .002 |
Antipyretics taken | 512 (44) | 68 (45) | .79 |
Other general symptom relief medications taken | 85 (7) | 24 (16) | .001 |
Presenting symptoms | |||
Cough (self-report and/or chart) | 649 (56) | 142 (94) | <.001 |
Wheezing (chart) | 90 (8) | 35 (23) | <.001 |
Sore throat | 244 (21) | 60 (40) | <.001 |
Stuffy/runny nose | 353 (30) | 88 (58) | <.001 |
Sneezing | 274 (24) | 50 (33) | .01 |
Shortness of breath | 693 (59) | 98 (65) | .19 |
Any one or more of: sore throat, runny/stuffy nose or sneezing | 522 (45) | 111 (74) | <.001 |
Feverishness and/or triage temp ≥37.2 °C | 463 (40) | 115 (76) | <.001 |
Headache | 419 (36) | 71 (47) | .01 |
Myalgia | 357 (31) | 71 (47) | <.001 |
Chills (self-report and/or chart) | 172 (15) | 57 (38) | <.001 |
Weakness | 873 (75) | 125 (83) | .03 |
Fatigue | 906 (78) | 138 (91) | <.001 |
Loss of appetite | 603 (52) | 102 (68) | <.001 |
Median number of systemic symptoms (headache, myalgia, chills, weakness, fatigue, or loss of appetite) | 2 (IQR 2–3) | 3 (IQR 2–4) | <.001 |
Confused (self-report and/or chart) | 257 (22) | 46 (30) | .02 |
Time from symptom onset to ED triage: | Â | Â | Â |
 0–1 day | 451 (39) | 25 (17) | <.001 |
 2–5 days | 320 (27) | 81 (54) |  |
  ≥ 6 days | 393 (34) | 43 (29) |  |
Acute onset of symptoms‡ | 586 (50) | 70 (47) | .33 |