Obesity as a risk factor for severe H1N1?

This MMWR report is worth reading, as a purely descriptive study of 10 patients referred to the University of Michigan with severe H1N1 respiratory disease. Notable findings included the fact that this highly selected population was almost entirely obese (9 of 10) and male (9 of 10). Half of the patients had pulmonary emboli complicating their clinical course, and none had culture evidence of bacterial superinfection as a cause of their severe pulmonary disease. Only 3 of 10 had a recognized risk factor for severe influenza, and the median age was 46. Oseltamivir was administered at high doses (150 mg twice daily) and for prolonged periods of time to all patients, 3 of whom died.