Neuraminidase inhibitors improve outcome of patients with leukemia and influenza: an observational study.

Chemaly RF, Torres HA, Aguilera EA, Mattiuzzi G, Cabanillas M, Kantarjian H, Gonzalez V, Safdar A, Raad II.

Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Apr 1;44(7):964-7. Epub 2007 Feb 14.

Abstract

We reviewed the records of 33 patients with leukemia who experienced influenza during the period from October 2000 to March 2004. Three (38%) of the 8 patients who did not receive neuraminidase inhibitor therapy and none of the 25 patients who received it died of influenza pneumonia (P=.001). The use of neuraminidase inhibitor therapy seems to improve the outcome of influenza in patients with leukemia.