Influenza A (pH1N1) infection in children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit: differences with other respiratory viruses.

Objectives: To describe the clinical features of patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) attributable to influenza A pH1N1 virus and compare them with those admitted with LRTI due to other viral pathogens.

Design: Retrospective, observational, comparative study.

Setting: PICU in a university-affiliated, tertiary-care, pediatric hospital.