Influenza is still in season, and we are certainly seeing primary flu and secondary complications like pneumonia.  So here’s an interesting question: does combination therapy with the addition of clarithromycin and naproxen in patients hospitalized for acute influenza have any benefit?

John Park, M.D., tackled this research article that attempts to address this question to improve flu outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the rationale for adding clarithromycin and naproxen.
• Describe the characteristics of the study population.
• List the benefits (outcomes) that the investigators found with combination therapy.
• Explain how the study results may not apply to your hospitalized patients at Olive View.

Here is the latest from the LA County Department of Public Health about the Flu.

Influenza Watch (Rep.). County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, 16 February 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/docs/IWCurrent201718.pdf