Pandemic influenza A (2009 H1N1) in hospitalized patients in a Saudi Arabian hospital: epidemiology and clinical comparison with H1N1-negative patients.

Background And Objectives: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that pandemic influenza A (H1N1) was a public health emergency of international concern in April 2009. Herein, we describe the characteristics of patients in a Saudi Arabian hospital with and without H1N1 infection.

Methods: We reviewed the records of patients admitted with influenza-like illness and compared confirmed pandemic H1N1 cases to the H1N1-negative patients admitted to the hospital.

Improving adherence to venous thromoembolism prophylaxis using multiple interventions.

Objective: In hospital, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) increases the morbidity and mortality in patients with acute medical illness. DVT prophylaxis is well known to be effective in preventing venous thromoembolism (VTE). However, its use remains suboptimal.