The present study investigated the differences between elderly patients hospitalized with COVID-19 or influenza A H1N1 virus infections.

It contrasted two absolute groups of patients (age ≥60 years) infected with either COVID-19 (n = 222) or influenza A H1N1 virus infections (n = 96). The study compared the two groups′ clinical features, imaging presentations, therapies, and prognosis data.

The study observed-

• Higher proportions of cough, expectoration, fatigue, and shortness of breath in patients with influenza.
• Higher counts of lymphocytes, hemoglobin, and creatine kinase and lower counts of white blood cells, neutrophils, blood urea nitrogen, and C-reactive protein in patients with COVID-19. 
• Bilateral pneumonia as the most abnormal pattern in the two groups of patients concerning imaging characteristics.
• Lower incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome or death among patients with COVID-19.

This study shows that the clinical manifestations of patients with COVID-19 are more suppressed than those of patients with influenza. Fewer symptoms of sputum production, fatigue, shortness of breath, and lower white blood cells, neutrophils, and C-reactive protein counts are the possible predictive factors of COVID-19 among elderly patients.

Lv Y, Yu G, Zhang X, Gu J, Ye C, Lian J, Lu X, Lu Y, Yang Y. Comparative analysis of elderly hospitalized patients with COVID-19 or influenza A H1N1 virus infections. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2022;125:278-284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.008.