Studies on Epidemic Influenza: Comprising Clinical and Laboratory InvestigationsUniversity of Pittsburgh. School of Medicine
History
Studies on Epidemic Influenza: Comprising Clinical and Laboratory Investigations
University of Pittsburgh. School of Medicine
Influenza; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919
leucocytosis had been present the more serious was the subsequent
leucopenia. We regard this form of secondary leucopenia, if one may use
such a term, as a prognostic sign of some value. As in lobar pneumonia,
a high leucocyte count has been, as a rule, a favorable feature.
The second group, or those showing a leucopenia throughout their course,
was by no means an unusual thing. This is a cardinal point—in fact, one
of the most striking clinical features of the epidemic. The leucopenia
here does not have the prognostic value that it seems to have in the
group just referred to previously. We have observed cases go through a
pneumonia with 4,000–5,000 white cells in a relatively easy manner.
When, however, the leucocytes fall to 3,000 or under, one may be
reasonably sure that the outcome is doubtful, even with the general
condition of the patient at the time favorable. In the pneumonias of
this group which died the leucocytes have always fallen to about 2,000
cells. We have a number of observations taken from one-half to four
hours before death showing counts in the immediate neighborhood of
2,000, but never below this number. Where recovery has taken place the
cells go forward to the normal, more or less keeping pace with the
general clinical picture.
Of group three there is not much to say, except that on one hand it
tends toward a leucocytosis, and on the other to a leucopenia. This
group comprises a considerable number of the pneumonias. We are not in a
position to say anything regarding the relative mortality of this group.
The development of a leucopenia from these cases after a period of some
stability in the leucocytic curve is of bad prognostic import. Not
infrequently we have noticed rather wild abrupt rises to 20,000 in the
leucocytes toward the late half of the disease. This curve was nearly
always sustained until the end, which, as a rule, was recovery.
We do not need to consider at any length the effect on the leucocyte
count of complications not of lung origin. Acute sinuses in head, otitis
media and meningitis always produced a variable moderate leucocytosis.
The change was not so marked in meningitis, as our cases were all
preceded by a pneumonia which had independently invoked a slight
leucocytic response. As a complication of the pneumonia we have noted an
abrupt rise following an acute pleuritis with effusion, and similarly
after the onset of an empyema. These complications seemed to be able to
induce a leucocytosis with more certainty and ease than the more serious
pneumonic condition. Possibly, as they occurred toward the end of the
infection, the toxic factor of the epidemic influenza was more or less
spent, and the secondary invader had a freer hand to act in its normal
way.
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