Publications by authors named "Chun Keat P'ng"
Article Synopsis
- Common cold coronaviruses (ccCoVs) and influenza viruses are common causes of upper respiratory infections, but the health effects of ccCoV infections are not well understood.
- A study involving 3,935 outpatients compared symptoms and outcomes between ccCoV and influenza infections, finding that sore throat, nasal discharge, headache, and myalgia were more common in ccCoV, while fever was prevalent in influenza cases.
- Patients with underlying health conditions had increased primary care visits for respiratory symptoms following both infections, suggesting that managing these comorbidities is crucial to reduce negative health impacts.
Background: Age is an established risk factor for poor outcomes in individuals with influenza-related illness, and data on its influence on clinical presentations and outcomes in the South-East Asian settings are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the above among adults with influenza-related upper respiratory tract infection at a teaching hospital in Malaysia.
Methods: A retrospective case-note analysis was conducted on a cohort of 3935 patients attending primary care at the University Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia from February 2012 till May 2014 with URTI symptoms.