Early use of oseltamivir in children hospitalized with influenza tied to improved outcomes

MedPage Today (9/19, Hein) reports, “Early use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) in children hospitalized with influenza was associated with better outcomes, according to a multicenter propensity score-weighted analysis.” Among the “over 55,000 children, treatment with oseltamivir upon arrival or on day 1 was linked with a shorter length of stay compared with treatment on day 2 or later or not at all…reported” researchers in JAMA Pediatrics. In addition, early treatment was “associated with lower odds of readmission within 7 days…late transfer to the intensive care unit…and the composite outcome of death or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation…use…they noted.”