Obesity and diabetes are the principal underlying conditions associated with death in patients with swine flu, a report published in the August 20^th edition of Eurosurveillance shows. Great, guess who is diabetic and overweight?

The authors from the French Institute of Public Health analysed all deaths caused by swine flu before 16^th July.

A total of 564 deaths around the world were identified and detailed information was available for 213 of these.

Obesity and diabetes were the underlying health conditions most associated with death (57 cases). Respiratory disease was present in 37 patients, heart disease in 36, and unspecified other infectious diseases in 19.

Immunodepression was recorded in 16 patients, including five cases of cancer, two of transplantation, and three of auto-immune disease. HIV was not mentioned by the authors as being a specific risk factor for an increased risk of death. Fortunately neither am I HIV, nor am I likely to become HIV, for obvious reasons.

The analysis also showed that the overall mortality rate in patients infected with swine flu is low.


Reference

Valliant L et al. Epidemiology of fatal cases associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza 2009. Eurosurveillance 14: 33, August 20^th, 2009.