Impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on childhood otitis media in the United Kingdom

The effect of COVID-19 on utilization of chronic diseases services

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 on utilization of chronic diseases services.

METHODS

Interrupted time-series design was used to examine the utilization of chronic diseases services before and during the Covid-19 pandemic among hospitals in Iran. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chemotherapy were selected as a proxy to indicate the impact of Covid-19 on utilization of chronic diseases services. Data were collected in 24 sites from 12 months before the onset of Covid-19 (from March 2019 to February 2020) to 12 months during the Covid-19 pandemic (February 2020 to March 2021).

RESULTS

A total of 7,039,378 services were provided, of which 51.92% were provided for women and 62.73% for >65 age group. A sudden decrease was observed in monthly utilization of services during the Covid-19 pandemic; ranging from 13.91 (95% CI = -21.73, 6.10, P = 0.001) for chemotherapy to 606.39 (95% CI = -1040.72, 172.06, P = 0.009) for heart failure services per 100 thousand population. A decrease was observed in COPD services; 15.28 services compared with the period before Covid-19. Subsequently, the monthly utilization trends of asthma, type 2 diabetes, and chemotherapy services increased significantly (P < 0.05).

DISCUSSION

Although chronic diseases are a factor in more severe form of Covid-19, their failure to seek diagnostic, prevention and treatment services has somewhat complicated the issue.

Cost-effectiveness of PCV20 to Prevent Pneumococcal Disease in the Pediatric Population: A German Societal Perspective Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Since 2009, a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) covering 13 serotypes (PCV13) has been included by Germany's Standing Committee on Vaccinations for infants, resulting in major reductions in pneumococcal disease (PD). Higher-valent vaccines may further reduce PD burden. This cost-effectiveness analysis compared 20-valent PCV (PCV20) under a 3+1 schedule with 15-valent PCV (PCV15) and PCV13, both under 2+1 schedule, in Germany's pediatric population.

METHODS

A Markov model with annual cycles over a 10-year time horizon was adapted to simulate the clinical and economic impact of pediatric vaccination with PCV20 versus lower-valent PCVs in Germany. The model used PCV13 clinical effectiveness and impact studies as well as PCV7 efficacy studies for vaccine direct and indirect effect estimates. Epidemiologic, utility, and medical cost inputs were obtained from published sources. Benefits and costs were discounted at 3% from a German societal perspective. Outcomes included PD cases, deaths, costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

RESULTS

In the base case, PCV20 provided greater health benefits than PCV13, averting more cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD; 15,301), hospitalized and non-hospitalized pneumonia (460,197 and 472,365, respectively), otitis media (531,634), and 59,265 deaths over 10 years. This resulted in 904,854 additional QALYs and a total cost saving of €2,393,263,611, making PCV20 a dominant strategy compared with PCV13. Compared to PCV15, PCV20 was estimated to avert an additional 11,334 IPD, 704,948 pneumonia, and 441,643 otitis media cases, as well as 41,596 deaths. PCV20 was associated with a higher QALY gain and lower cost (i.e., dominance) compared with PCV15. The robustness of the results was confirmed through scenario analyses as well as deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

PCV20 3+1 dominated both PCV13 2+1 and PCV15 2+1 over 10 years. Replacing lower-valent PCVs with PCV20 would result in greater clinical and economic benefits, given PCV20's broader serotype coverage.

Multi-institutional Assessment of Otitis Media Epidemiology Using Real-world Data

OBJECTIVES

To determine rates and risk factors of pediatric otitis media (OM) using real-world electronic health record (PEDSnet) data from January 2009 through May 2021.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Seven pediatric academic health systems that participate in PEDSnet.

METHODS

Children <6 months-old at time of first outpatient, Emergency Department, or inpatient visit were included and followed longitudinally. A time-to-event analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards model to estimate hazard ratios for OM incidence based on sociodemographic factors and specific health conditions.

RESULTS

The PEDSnet cohort included 910,265 children, 54.3% male, mean age (months) 1.3 [standard deviation (SD) 1.6] and mean follow up (years) 4.3 (SD 3.2). By age 3 years, 39.6% of children had evidence of one OM episode. OM rates decreased following pneumococcal-13 vaccination (PCV-13) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with young age, non-Hispanic Black/African American or Hispanic race/ethnicity, public insurance, higher family income, and male sex had higher incidence rates. Health conditions that increased OM risk included cleft palate [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 4.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.9-4.2], primary ciliary dyskinesia [aHR 2.5 (95% CI 1.8-3.5)], trisomy 21 [aHR 2.0 (95% CI 1.9-2.1)], atopic dermatitis [aHR 1.4 (95% CI 1.4-1.4)], and gastroesophageal reflux [aHR1.5 (95% CI 1.5-1.5)].

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 20% of children by age 1 and 40% of children by age 3 years will have experienced an OM episode. OM rates decreased after PCV-13 and COVID-19. Children with abnormal ciliary function or craniofacial conditions, specifically cleft palate, carry the highest risk of OM.

Prevalence of prolonged otitis media with effusion among 2 to 3 years old Cameroonian children in the era of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines

Objectives

There is data scarcity on the overall effects of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on otitis media (OM) in low- and middle-income countries. The impact of the 13-valent PCV (PCV13) program on OM was evaluated in Cameroon where infant vaccination was implemented in July 2011 using a 3-dose primary series at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age.

Methods

Through community-based surveillance, we used a retrospective cohort study design to assess OM prevalence among PCV13-vaccinated children aged 24 to 36 months in 2015. This was compared with a 2013 age-matched cohort of PCV13-unvaccinated children. OM was diagnosed by clinical inspection for chronic suppurative OM (CSOM) and tympanometry for OM with effusion (OME). CSOM was defined as draining of the middle ear with duration of more than 2 weeks and prolonged OME was defined as a flat 'type B' tympanogram. PCV13-vaccinated and PCV13-unvaccinated cohorts were compared by calculating prevalence odds ratios for OM and baseline characteristics.

Results

Altogether, 111 OM cases were identified; 42/433 (9.7%) in the PCV13-unvaccinated in 2013 and 69/413 (16.7%) in the PCV13-vaccinated cohort in 2015. In the 2013 baseline survey, 3/433 (0.7%) children were identified with unilateral CSOM compared to 9/413 (2.2%) in the PCV13-vaccinated cohort in 2015. Bilateral prolonged OME was diagnosed in 7/433 (1.6%) PCV13-unvaccinated children and in 12/413 (2.9%) in PCV13-vaccinated children. Proportions of children with unilateral prolonged OME were 31/433 (7.2%) in the PCV13-unvaccinated group compared with 48/413 (11.6%) in the PCV13-vaccinated group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed evidence that PCV13-vaccinated children in 2015 had 40% less risk of contracting OM compared to PCV13-unvaccinated children in 2013 (adjusted prevalence odds ratios = 0.60 [95% confidence interval: 0.38 to 0.94], P = 0.025). Additionally, attributable proportion estimates show that, 58% of OM infections among the PCV13-vaccinated group would still have occurred despite PCV13 vaccination.

Conclusion

Our findings provide significant evidence on the effect of PCV13 in decreasing OM or OME among children in this age group. It also supports justification for government's continuation of PCV13 immunization program in the absence of GAVI's funding. Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of the PCV13 program on in OM Cameroon.

Cost-effectiveness of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in US infants

BACKGROUND

As of June 2023, two pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, 20- (PCV20) and 15- (PCV15) valent formulations, are recommended for US infants under a 3 + 1 schedule. This study evaluated the health and economic impact of vaccinating US infants with a new expanded valency PCV20 formulation.

METHODS

A population-based, multi cohort, decision-analytic Markov model was developed to estimate the public health impact and cost-effectiveness of PCV20 from both societal and healthcare system perspectives over 10 years. Epidemiological data were based on published studies and unpublished Active Bacterial Core Surveillance System (ABCs) data. Vaccine effectiveness was based on PCV13 effectiveness and PCV7 efficacy studies. Indirect impact was based on observational studies. Costs and disutilities were based on published data. PCV20 was compared to both PCV13 and PCV15 in separate scenarios.

RESULTS

Replacing PCV13 with PCV20 in infants has the potential to avert over 55,000 invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) cases, 2.5 million pneumonia cases, 5.4 million otitis media (OM) cases, and 19,000 deaths across all ages over a 10-year time horizon, corresponding to net gains of 515,000 life years and 271,000 QALYs. Acquisition costs of PCV20 were offset by monetary savings from averted cases resulting in net savings of $20.6 billion. The same trend was observed when comparing PCV20 versus PCV15, with a net gain of 146,000 QALYs and $9.9 billion in net savings. A large proportion of the avoided costs and cases were attributable to indirect effects in unvaccinated adults and elderly. From a health-care perspective, PCV20 was also the dominant strategy compared to both PCV13 and PCV15.

CONCLUSIONS

Infant vaccination with PCV20 is estimated to further reduce pneumococcal disease and associated healthcare system and societal costs compared to both PCV13 and PCV15.

The impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on ceftriaxone consumption in the community among young children

OBJECTIVES

Following pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) introduction, community pediatric dispensed prescription rates (DPR) of oral antibiotics declined, in parallel to respiratory tract infection (RTI). We assessed the dynamics of outpatient parenteral ceftriaxone DPR.

METHODS

Computerized data for children <5 years were examined during 13 years (including 4 pre-PCV years). DPR from clinics with ≥50 insured children, active both before and after PCV implementation were included. Interrupted time series with segmented regression stratified by age and ethnicity, and adjusted for seasonality was applied to show monthly DPR trends.

RESULTS

A total of 29,226 prescriptions were dispensed. No significant trends in ceftriaxone DPR were seen pre-PCV. Shortly after PCV implementation, DPR abruptly and significantly declined, stabilizing in late-PCV period (5 years postimplementation). The dynamics were compared between the two ethnic groups in the region, Jewish and Bedouin children (the latter with higher crowding and respiratory disease rates). Among Jewish children, ceftriaxone was mainly dispensed during winter vs no seasonality among Bedouin children.

CONCLUSIONS

In southern Israel, outpatient ceftriaxone DPR declined post-PCV in young children, similar to the trends of RTIs and oral antibiotic prescriptions, suggesting a causative role of PCVs. The differences between the two ethnic groups suggest possible involvement of additional factors.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of PCV20 to prevent pneumococcal disease in the Canadian pediatric population

This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) in Canadian infants aged <2 years versus the standard of care (SoC), a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), or a potential 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15). A decision-analytic Markov model was developed to compare PCV20 with PCV13 or PCV15 in a 2 + 1 schedule over 10 years. Vaccine effect estimates (direct and indirect) across all ages were informed by PCV13 clinical effectiveness and impact studies as well as PCV7 efficacy studies. Epidemiologic, clinical, health state utilities, utility decrements, cost per event, and list price data were from Canadian sources where available. Clinical and economic outcomes related to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), hospitalized and non-hospitalized pneumonia, and simple and complex otitis media (OM) were calculated for each strategy. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated from the publicly funded healthcare system perspective. Over 10 years, PCV20 versus PCV13 was estimated to avert over 11,000 IPD cases, 316,000 hospitalized and non-hospitalized pneumonia cases, 335,000 simple and complex OM cases, and 15,000 deaths, resulting in cost savings of over 3.2 billion Canadian dollars (CAD) and 47,000 more quality-adjusted life years (i.e. dominant strategy). Compared with PCV15, PCV20 was estimated to result in over 1.4 billion CAD in cost savings and 21,000 more QALYs (i.e. dominant strategy). PCV20 was dominant over both PCV13 and PCV15. Given broader serotype coverage, substantial incremental benefits and cost-savings, PCV20 should be considered as a replacement for the SoC in the publicly funded Canadian infant immunization program.

The impact of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination on antibiotic use: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Vaccination can prevent bacterial and viral infections that could otherwise increase the chances of receiving (unnecessary) antibiotic treatment(s). As a result, vaccination may provide an important public health intervention to control antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

OBJECTIVES

Perform a systematic literature review to better understand the impact of influenza, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccination on antibiotic use, and to identify differences in effect between world regions and study designs.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis which updated previous literature reviews with new data from 1 October 2018 to 1 December 2021. The study focuses on randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Results from the meta-analysis of RCTs were stratified by WHO region and age group. Vote counting based on the direction of effect was applied to synthesize the results of the observational studies.

RESULTS

Most studies are performed in the WHO European Region and the Region of the Americas in high-income countries. RCTs show that the effect of influenza vaccination on the number of antibiotic prescriptions or days of antibiotic use (Ratio of Means (RoM) 0.71, 95% CI 0.62-0.83) is stronger compared to the effect of pneumococcal vaccination (RoM 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-1.00). These studies also confirm a reduction in the proportion of people receiving antibiotics after influenza vaccination (Risk Ratio (RR) 0.63, 95% CI 0.51-0.79). The effect of influenza vaccination in the European and American regions ranged from RoM 0.63 and 0.87 to RR 0.70 and 0.66, respectively. The evidence from observational studies supports these findings but presents a less consistent picture. No COVID-19 studies were identified.

CONCLUSION

We find that both RCTs and observational studies show that influenza vaccination significantly reduces antibiotic use, while the effect of pneumococcal vaccination is less pronounced. We were unable to study the effect of COVID-19 vaccination and no clear regional patterns were found due to the high heterogeneity between studies. Overall, our data supports the use of influenza vaccination as an important public health intervention to reduce antibiotic use and possibly control AMR.

New insights into the treatment of acute otitis media

INTRODUCTION

Acute otitis media (AOM) affects most (80%) children by 5 years of age and is the most common reason children are prescribed antibiotics. The epidemiology of AOM has changed considerably since the widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which has broad-reaching implications for management.

AREAS COVERED

In this narrative review, we cover the epidemiology of AOM, best practices for diagnosis and management, new diagnostic technology, effective stewardship interventions, and future directions of the field. Literature review was performed using PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov.

EXPERT OPINION

Inaccurate diagnoses, unnecessary antibiotic use, and increasing antimicrobial resistance remain major challenges in AOM management. Fortunately, effective tools and interventions to improve diagnostic accuracy, de-implement unnecessary antibiotic use, and individualize care are on the horizon. Successful scaling of these tools and interventions will be critical to improving overall care for children.

Incidence of acute otitis media from 2003 to 2019 in children ≤ 17 years in England

BACKGROUND

The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced in 2006 and the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2010 in the UK. PCVs are active immunization for the prevention of invasive disease, pneumonia and acute otitis media (AOM) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in children. The aim of this observational study was to estimate incidence rates (IRs) of AOM in children ≤17 years from 2003 to 2019 in England, before and after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).

METHODS

AOM episodes were identified using Read diagnosis codes in children aged ≤17 years in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Gold database from 2003 to 2019. Annual IRs with 95% confidence intervals (CI) by age group were calculated as the number of episodes/person-years (PY) at risk. Interrupted time series analyses were conducted to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) across post-PCV7 (2007-2009), early post-PCV13 (2011-2014) and late post-PCV13 (2015-2019) periods compared to the pre-PCV7 period (2003-2005) using generalized linear models.

RESULTS

From 2003 to 2019, 274,008 all-cause AOM episodes were identified in 1,500,686 children. The overall AOM IR was 3690.9 (95% CI 3677.1-3704.8) per 100,000 PY. AOM IRs were highest in children aged < 5 years and decreased by age; < 2 years: 8286.7 (95% CI 8216.8-8357.1); 2-4 years: 7951.8 (95% CI 7902.5-8001.4); 5-17 years: 2184.4 (95% CI 2172.1-2196.8) (per 100,000 PY). Overall AOM IRs declined by 40.3% between the pre-PCV7 period and the late-PCV13 period from 4451.9 (95% CI 4418.1-4485.9) to 2658.5 (95% CI 2628.6-2688.7) per 100,000 PY, and across all age groups. IRRs indicated a significant decrease in AOM IRs in all the post-vaccination periods, compared to the pre-PCV7 period: post-PCV7 0.87 (95% CI 0.85-0.89), early post-PCV13 0.88 (95% CI 0.86-0.91), and late post-PCV13 0.75 (95% CI 0.73-0.78).

CONCLUSIONS

The AOM IRs declined during the 2003-2019 period; however, the clinical burden of AOM remains substantial among children ≤17 years in England.

Acute otitis media pneumococcal disease burden and nasopharyngeal colonization in children due to serotypes included and not included in current and new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines

INTRODUCTION

Despite the introduction of effective pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV), Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a major cause of acute otitis media (AOM) worldwide. New, higher valency vaccines that offer broader serotype coverage have been recently developed and others are in development. However, given the capsular serotypes expressed by pneumococci causing AOM, it is unclear to what extent differing or higher valency PCVs will provide additional protection.

AREAS COVERED

We conducted a systematic literature search of the MEDLINE database to identify articles published from January 2016 to September 2021 in 4 low and middle income and 10 high-income countries. We searched PubMed with terms: (Streptococcus pneumoniae) OR pneumococcal AND serotype AND (conjugate vaccine). We evaluated serotype distribution and the actual or projected coverage of pneumococcal serotypes by PCV10 (GlaxoSmithKline), PCV13 (Pfizer), PCV10SII (Serum Institute of India) PCV15 (Merck) and PCV20 (Pfizer).

EXPERT OPINION

Our review highlights the important epidemiological differences in serotype distribution and coverage by existing and higher valency vaccines to protect against AOM in children. These data provide support for further evaluation of serotype-independent vaccines for optimal control of pneumococcal AOM disease worldwide.

The effectiveness of influenza vaccine among elderly Chinese: A regression discontinuity design based on Yinzhou regional health information platform

In China, a free influenza vaccination policy is being implemented among individuals aged 70 years and over in Zhejiang province during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in reducing hospitalization and mortality in the elderly. We used data from the Regional Health Information Platform in Yinzhou located in Zhejiang province and applied a regression discontinuity design to estimate the intention-to-treat effect on admission and mortality rates by month of age in the population who was near the age of 70 years threshold. At age 70 years, the influenza vaccination rate increased by 29.1% (95% CI, 28.2% to 29.9%) compared to those under 70 in the study population. When turning age 70 years, the potential effectiveness of receiving influenza vaccine was 8.2% (95% CI, -36.8% to 51.3%) for total hospitalization and the evaluation of vaccine effectiveness was 13.1% (95% CI, -34.2 to 61.8) for the all-cause mortality. An increase in the influenza vaccination rate was associated with a weak decline in most outcomes, but no significance was found for all outcomes. Influenza vaccination had a limited effect on hospital admission and mortality for the free influenza vaccination program that can be related to the low vaccination rate among the Chinese elderly. Supplementation strategies and future studies may be needed to expand immunization coverage and validate this finding, and further provide a reference for other cities to promote the free influenza vaccination policy in China, especially under circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effectiveness of Pneumococcal Vaccines on Otitis Media in Children: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines on otitis media (OM) and acute otitis media (AOM) in children.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search in databases PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Lilacs, and Web of Science. We included observational studies that evaluated any pneumococcal vaccine - including 7, 10, and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV7, PCV10, and PCV13) and 23-valent polysaccharide vaccines (PPSV23) as the intervention, in children aged less than five years.

RESULTS

Out of the 2112 screened studies, 48 observational studies complied with the eligibility criteria and therefore were included in this review. Of the included studies, 30 (63%) were before-after, eleven (23%) cohort, six (13%) time series, and one (2%) case-control study designs. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) in preventing OM or AOM varied by vaccine type. In children under 24 months VE ranged from 8% and 42.7% (PCV7), 5.6% to 84% (PCV10) and 2.2% to 68% (PCV13). In children aged less than 60 months, VE ranged between 13.2% and 39% for PCV7, 11% to 39% for PCV10 (only children under 48 months), and 39% to 41% (PCV13).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate significant effect of pneumococcal vaccination in decreasing OM or AOM in children under five years old in several countries supporting the public health value of introducing PCVs in national immunization programs.

Population-Level Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccination Program in the United States: Causal Analysis Based on Structural Nested Mean Model

Though COVID-19 vaccines have shown high efficacy, real-world effectiveness at the population level remains unclear. Based on the longitudinal data on vaccination coverage and daily infection cases from fifty states in the United States from March to May 2021, causal analyses were conducted using structural nested mean models to estimate the population-level effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination program against infection with the original strain. We found that in the US, every 1% increase of vaccination coverage rate reduced the weekly growth rate of COVID-19 confirmed cases by 1.02% (95% CI: 0.26%, 1.69%), and the estimated population-level effectiveness of the COVID-19 program was 63.9% (95% CI: 18.0%, 87.5%). In comparison to a no-vaccination scenario, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign averted 8.05 million infections through the study period. Scenario analyses show that a vaccination program with doubled vaccination speed or with more rapid vaccination speed at the early stages of the campaign would avert more infections and increase vaccine effectiveness. The COVID-19 vaccination program demonstrated a high population-level effectiveness and significantly reduced the disease burden in the US. Accelerating vaccine rollout, especially at an early stage of the campaign, is crucial for reducing COVID-19 infections.

A Retrospective Database Analysis to Estimate the Burden of Acute Otitis Media in Children Aged <15 Years in the Veneto Region (Italy)

This study aimed to assess trends in the incidence of acute otitis media (AOM), a common childhood condition, following the introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in the Veneto region of Italy in 2010. AOM episodes (overall, simple, and recurrent (≥3 or ≥4 episodes in 6 or 12 months, respectively, with ≥1 episode in the preceding 6 months)) in children <15 years of age were identified in Pedianet from 2010−2017. Interrupted time series analyses were conducted to assess changes in the annual incidence rates (IRs) in early (2010−2013) and late (2014−2017) PCV13 periods. In total, 72,570 children (402,868 person-years) were identified; 21,048 had 41,683 AOM episodes. Mean annual AOM IR was 103/1000 person-years (95% confidence interval: 102−104), decreasing from 126 to 79/1000 person-years. AOM IRs were highest in children 2−4 years of age, followed by <2 and 5−14 years of age. Overall and simple AOM IRs decreased among children 0−14 years of age, including 2−4 and 5−14 years of age, while recurrent AOM IRs decreased in children <2 years of age. Following PCV13 introduction, AOM IRs decreased substantially in children <15 years of age, with the greatest benefit observed in older children, driven by a reduction in simple AOM IRs. AOM disease burden remains substantial.

The broader impacts of otitis media and sequelae for informing economic evaluations of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines

INTRODUCTION

Otitis media (OM) is a common childhood infection. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) prevent OM episodes, thereby reducing short- and long-term clinical, economic, humanistic, and societal consequences. Most economic evaluations of PCVs focus on direct health gains and cost savings from prevented acute episodes but do not fully account for the broader societal impacts of OM prevention.

AREAS COVERED

This review explores the broader burden of OM on children, caregivers, and society to better inform future economic evaluations of PCVs.

EXPERT OPINION

OM causes a substantial burden to society through long-term sequelae, productivity losses, reduced quality of life for children and caregivers, and contribution to antimicrobial resistance from inappropriate antibiotic use. The effect of PCVs on acute OM has been recognized globally, yet the broader impact has not been consistently quantified, studied, or communicated. Economic evaluations of PCVs must evolve to include broader effects for patients, caregivers, and society from OM prevention. Future PCVs with broader coverage may further reduce OM incidence and antimicrobial resistance, but optimal uptake will depend on increasing the recognition and use of novel frameworks that include broader benefits. Communicating the full value of PCVs to decision makers may result in wider access and positive societal returns.

The Impact of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine on Otitis Media-Related Antibiotic Use Among Young Children in Tennessee, USA

Otitis media (OM) is a leading cause of pediatric antibiotic use. Introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) led to reductions in OM among US children, though its impact on OM-related antibiotic use remains unclear. Among 499 683 Tennessee children <2 years of age, the OM-related antibiotic fill rate was stable after PCV13 introduction.

Systematic review of the efficacy, effectiveness and impact of high-valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on otitis media

Otitis media (OM) is a common disease of childhood and available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), with different compositions, could have different impact on OM reduction. This systematic literature review evaluated available data describing the efficacy, effectiveness, and impact of 10-valent pneumococcal Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) and 13-valent PCV (PCV13) on OM outcomes. Statistically significant reductions in all-cause and complicated OM, tympanostomy tube placement and OM-related hospitalizations were consistently observed after the introduction of PHiD-CV and PCV13. Impact studies with data in children <2 years of age using PCV13 report 47–51% and PHiD-CV 34–43% reduction of all-cause OM (primary care, outpatient, ambulatory, emergency department visits) compared to periods before PCV introduction. When the impact of both vaccines is assessed in comparable settings, some studies suggest PHiD-CV may offer better protection against some OM outcomes. Well-designed, head-to-head comparisons are needed to better understand the differences and guide vaccination policies.

What is the context?

Pneumococcal vaccines are highly effective in preventing pneumonia and meningitis in children. The two main pneumococcal vaccines are PHiD-CV (Synflorix, GSK) and PCV13 (Prevenar 13, Pfizer). Both vaccines have been shown to provide protection against otitis media despite differing in their composition.

However, it is currently unknown if both vaccines confer similar level of protection against otitis media.

What is new?

We conducted a literature review to evaluate the effects of PHiD-CV and PCV13 on otitis media.

From 33 articles, we found that:

‡Both vaccines were effective in reducing doctor visits for otitis media as well as the number of severe cases and cases requiring hospitalization.

‡Four studies suggested a higher level of protection provided by PHiD-CV compared to PCV13, although more data is needed to confirm this finding.

What is the impact?

Available information shows that PHiD-CV and PCV13 are effective in preventing a proportion of otitis media during childhood.

Given the remaining substantial burden associated with the disease and the related significant usage of antibiotics, the development of improved vaccines with higher impact on otitis media would be welcome.

Impact of 7-valent versus 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on primary care consultations across various age groups in the Netherlands, 5 years after the switch: A time-series analysis

BACKGROUND

In 2011, 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) replaced PCV7 in The Netherlands. We aimed to assess the impact of this switch on non-invasive pneumococcal disease in primary care across various age-groups, including pneumonia-bronchitis, otitis media (OM) and sinusitis with and without considering pre-PCV10 secular trends.

METHODS

Electronic records of 397,441 individuals included in a regional primary care database from July 2006 to June 2016 were extracted (2,408,762 person-years). We fitted interrupted time-series on annual incidence rates (IR) of primary care diagnosed pneumonia-bronchitis, OM and sinusitis episodes per age-group. We performed these two types of analyses, comparing; 1) the post-PCV10 observed versus expected trend if PCV10 had not been implemented and pre-PCV10 secular trends had continued 2), the pre- versus post-PCV10 observed, model fitted trend. The latter assumes no secular trend. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated using both methods.

RESULTS

We found significant reductions following PCV10 introduction with both analysis methods for pneumonia-bronchitis in the pediatric and adult age-groups, for sinusitis in the age-group 20-50 years and for OM, the effect across various age-groups are uncertain given contradictory results. For other outcomes and age-groups, the effect estimates were not consistent across the two-method used and heavily depended on the strength of the underlying trend. No consistent effects were observed in the elderly population, considering the two methods used.

CONCLUSION

Our study supports some direct and indirect-effect of PCV10 introduction on non-IPD, mainly on pneumonia-bronchitis, but estimates heavily depend on the method of analysis used. Estimates from the two different approaches may differ substantially if underlying trends are strong.

Acute otitis media and pneumococcal vaccination - an observational cross-sectional study of otitis media among vaccinated and unvaccinated children in Greenland

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the main pathogens leading to otitis media. In 2010, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was implemented in the Greenlandic childhood vaccination programme, but the effect of this change is not yet well documented. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the implementation based on the number of episodes of acute otitis media (AOM). Data are obtained from medical records. We included all children born from 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2016, and thus eligible for the three doses of PCV13 including one year of follow-up time. Exclusion criteria were uncertain vaccination status and predefined comorbidities. The children were divided into two groups based on vaccination status: "Vaccinated" or "Incomplete/delayed". We included 1077 children in total, 742 children were allocated to the "Vaccinated" group and 335 children were allocated to the "Incomplete/delayed" group. There were significantly fewer episodes of AOM in the "Incomplete/delayed" group (p = 0.01). In conclusion Greenlandic children completely and timely vaccinated with PCV13 and born between January 2015 and September 2016 did not have fewer episodes of AOM compared to children who had incomplete or delayed vaccination status. Abbreviations: PCV13: 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; OM: otitis media; AOM: acute otitis media; CSOM: chronic suppurative otitis media; WHO: World Health Organisation; NTHi: nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae.

Clinical and Economic Burden of Pneumococcal Disease Due to Serotypes Contained in Current and Investigational Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Children Under Five Years of Age

INTRODUCTION

The widespread implementation of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) has significantly reduced the burden of pneumococcal disease around the world. Although licensed 10-valent (PCV10) and 13-valent (PCV13) vaccines have considerably reduced mortality and morbidity, a sizeable disease burden attributable to serotypes not contained in these PCVs remains. This study aimed to estimate the annual clinical and economic burden of pneumococcal disease attributable to licensed (PCV10 and PCV13) and investigational PCVs, notably 15-valent (PCV15) and 20-valent (PCV20) vaccines, in 13 countries in children under 5 years of age.

METHODS

A decision-analytic model was created to aggregate total cases [inclusive of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), pneumonia, and otitis media (OM)], deaths, and direct costs in each country of interest [stratified by PCV10/PCV13 countries, depending on national immunization programs (NIPs)] over 1 year, using up to the three most recent years of available serotype coverage data. Data inputs were sourced from local databases, surveillance reports, and published literature.

RESULTS

In 5 PCV10 NIPs (Austria, Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden), most remaining PCV20-type disease was due to PCV13-unique serotypes (30-85%), followed by PCV20-unique (9-50%), PCV15-unique (4-15%), and PCV10-unique (2-14%) serotypes. In 8 PCV13 NIPs (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom), most remaining PCV20-type disease was caused by PCV20-unique serotypes (16-69%), followed by PCV13-unique (11-54%), PCV15-unique (2-33%), and PCV10-unique serotypes (3-19%). Across all countries, PCV20 serotypes caused 3000 to 345,000 cases of disease and cost between $1.3 and $44.9 million USD annually with variability driven by population size, NIP status, and epidemiologic inputs. In aggregate, PCV20 serotypes caused 1,234,000 cases and $213.5 million in annual direct medical costs in children under 5 years of age.

CONCLUSION

Despite the success of PCV10 and PCV13 in reducing pneumococcal disease, a substantial clinical and economic burden remains due to serotypes contained in investigational vaccines.

The short-term impact of a malaria elimination initiative in Southern Mozambique: Application of the synthetic control method to routine surveillance data

In public health epidemiology, quasi-experimental methods are widely used to estimate the causal impacts of interventions. In this paper, we demonstrate the contribution the synthetic control method (SCM) can make in evaluating public health interventions, when routine surveillance data are available and the validity of other quasi-experimental approaches may be in question. In our application, we evaluate the short-term effects of a large-scale Mass Drug Administration (MDA) based malaria elimination initiative in Southern Mozambique. We apply the SCM to district level weekly malaria incidence data and compare the observed reduction in age group specific malaria incidence. Between August 2015 and April 2017, a total of 13,322 (78%) cases of malaria were averted relative to the synthetic control. During the peak malaria seasons, the elimination initiative resulted in an 87% reduction in Year 1 (December 2015-April 2016), and 79% reduction in Year 2 (December 2016-April 2017). Comparison with an interrupted time series approach shows the SCM accounts for pre-intervention trends in the data and post-intervention weather events influencing malaria cases. We conclude MDA brought about a drastic reduction in malaria burden and can be a useful addition to existing (or new) vector control strategies and tools in accelerating towards elimination.

Public health impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination: a review of measurement challenges

INTRODUCTION

Modeling analyses have attempted to quantify the global impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on pneumococcal disease (PD), however these pediatric models face several challenges in obtaining comprehensive impact measurements.

AREAS COVERED

We present several measurement challenges and discuss examples from recently published pediatric modeling evaluations. Challenges include estimating the number of infants fully or partially vaccinated with PCVs, inclusion of indirect effects of vaccination, accounting for various dosing schedules, capturing effect of PCVs on nonspecific, noninvasive PD, and inclusion of adult PCV use.

EXPERT OPINION

The true impact of PCVs has been consistently underestimated in published analyses due to multiple measurement challenges. Nearly 100 million adults are estimated to have received PCV13 over the last decade globally, potentially preventing up to 662 thousand cases of PD. Approximately 4.1 million cases of invasive PD alone may have been averted through indirect protection. Estimates of PCV impact on noninvasive PD remain a challenge due to altered epidemiology. Program switches, incomplete vaccination, and private market uptake among children also confound PD impact estimates. Taken together, the number of averted PD cases from PCV use in the last ten years may be up to three times higher than estimated in previous studies.

Impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on healthcare utilization and direct costs for otitis media in children ≤2 years of age in two Swedish regions

In Sweden, the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced in 2009 and replaced by the pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) or the 13-valent PCV (PCV13) from late 2009. We assessed the impact of PCVs on rates of antibiotic prescribing, tympanostomy tube placement (TTP), and healthcare resource utilization and direct costs of physician-diagnosed otitis media/acute otitis media (OM) in children ≤2 years of age living in Skåne (PCV7 then PHiD-CV) or Västra Götalandsregionen (VGR; PCV7 then PCV13). Retrospective cohort study using linked patient-level data from national and regional (Skåne and VGR) healthcare databases in Sweden from July 1, 2005, to December 31, 2013 (NCT02742753). Descriptive time-series analyses showed antibiotic prescriptions and TTP incidence declined after PHiD-CV/PCV13 introduction versus the pre-PCV period. The annualized mean frequencies of antibiotic use, primary care visits, outpatient visits, TTP and myringotomy procedures all decreased after PHiD-CV/PCV13 compared with pre-PCV cohorts. Annualized mean total OM-associated healthcare costs decreased in the PCV7 versus pre-PCV cohorts by 20.0% in Skåne and 10.2% in VGR, and further declined in the PHiD-CV and PCV13 cohorts (20.7% and 15.3%, respectively, relative to the PCV7 cohort), although the duration of PCV7 use differed between regions. Decreases in adjusted annualized cost ratios between cohorts per child susceptible to OM were statistically significant after PCV7 introduction and again with either PHiD-CV or PCV13 introduction in both regions. Following sequential PCV introduction, OM-related healthcare utilization and associated costs decreased in the study regions in Sweden.

Otopathogen interactions in the nasopharynx of children, and the predictive value of nasopharyngeal aspirate culture for the aetiology of upper respiratory infections

AIM

To evaluate nasopharyngeal aspirate cultures for screening otopathogen carriage in the adenoid in children 2-7 years of age.

METHODS

Thirty-seven children, 2-7 years of age, scheduled for adenoidectomy were enrolled into this prospective study at Rockhampton, Australia. Adenoid biopsy and nasopharyngeal aspirate bacteriology were assessed by conventional culture. Demographic and environmental data were collected by questionnaire. Statistical analyses for descriptive, comparison and logistic regression tests between microbial, demographic, environmental and clinical groups were applied.

RESULTS

Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis were detected in 38, 38, 35 and 24% of cases, respectively. Streptococcus pneumoniae was an independent determinant for non-typeable H. influenzae and S. aureus colonisation, and S. aureus was an independent determinant for S. pneumoniae colonisation. The nasopharyngeal aspirate otopathogen cultures were strong predictors for otopathogens in the adenoid, with moderate-high test accuracy for all otopathogens (receiver operator characteristics area under the curve ranging from 71 to 97% for the otopathogens tested). Children with positive non-typeable H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, S. pneumoniae and S. aureus nasopharyngeal aspirate cultures were more likely to have the equivalent species in adenoid cultures (positive likelihood ratios = undefined, 15.0, 9.09 and 5.85, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that nasopharyngeal aspirate cultures are an indicator of otopathogens in the adenoid. Nasopharyngeal aspirate cultures may provide clinicians with information that informs clinical management. Strategies for improved management to reduce otopathogen carriage could reduce the prevalence of chronic upper respiratory infections that contribute to adenoidectomy.

Can synthetic controls improve causal inference in interrupted time series evaluations of public health interventions?

Interrupted time series designs are a valuable quasi-experimental approach for evaluating public health interventions. Interrupted time series extends a single group pre-post comparison by using multiple time points to control for underlying trends. But history bias-confounding by unexpected events occurring at the same time of the intervention-threatens the validity of this design and limits causal inference. Synthetic control methodology, a popular data-driven technique for deriving a control series from a pool of unexposed populations, is increasingly recommended. In this paper, we evaluate if and when synthetic controls can strengthen an interrupted time series design. First, we summarize the main observational study designs used in evaluative research, highlighting their respective uses, strengths, biases and design extensions for addressing these biases. Second, we outline when the use of synthetic controls can strengthen interrupted time series studies and when their combined use may be problematic. Third, we provide recommendations for using synthetic controls in interrupted time series and, using a real-world example, we illustrate the potential pitfalls of using a data-driven approach to identify a suitable control series. Finally, we emphasize the importance of theoretical approaches for informing study design and argue that synthetic control methods are not always well suited for generating a counterfactual that minimizes critical threats to interrupted time series studies. Advances in synthetic control methods bring new opportunities to conduct rigorous research in evaluating public health interventions. However, incorporating synthetic controls in interrupted time series studies may not always nullify important threats to validity nor improve causal inference.

Impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on acute otitis media and acute sinusitis epidemiology in British Columbia, Canada

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have characterized the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) programme's beneficial effects on acute otitis media (AOM) and acute sinusitis (AS) rates in children; however, few studies have examined the impact on adults.

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective cohort study evaluates the overall effect of the PCV13 immunization programme on the incidence of AOM and AS at the population level.

METHODS

Health administrative databases were linked to assess outpatient visits, hospitalizations and antibiotic utilization from 2000 to 2018. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to evaluate the impact of the PCV13 vaccine programme (2011-18) compared with the pre-PCV13 era (2000-10), overall and by age.

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2018, the incidence of AOM decreased by 50% (62 to 31 per 1000 population) while sinusitis decreased by 18% (33 to 27 per 1000 population). In the PCV13 era, the incidence of AOM declined [incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.70; 95% CI: 0.70-0.70], in parallel with decreased incidence of antibiotic utilization (IRR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.64-0.65). A reduction was also observed in the incidence of AS during the PCV13 era compared with the pre-PCV13 era (IRR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.88-0.88), mainly driven by declines among those younger than 65 years of age. In contrast, an increase in AS incidence was noted in individuals aged ≥65 years (IRR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.02-1.03). A decrease in antibiotic prescription rates for sinusitis was observed for those under 65 years of age.

CONCLUSIONS

The PCV13 immunization programme is associated with a reduction in the incidence of AOM and AS. Moreover, the associated use of antibiotics for these diagnoses has comparably decreased across paediatric, as well as adult populations.

Unravelling the Impact of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines on Ambulatory Antibiotic Drug Consumption in Young Children: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis

BACKGROUND

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) reduce respiratory infections in young children, the main antibiotic consumers. Following PCV implementation, dispensed antibiotic prescription (DAP) rates in young children were expected to decline.

METHODS

Computerized data on DAP for children <5 years were examined during a 13-year period (including 4 pre-PCV years). All DAPs from clinics with ≥50 insured children, active both pre- and post-PCV implementation were included. Interrupted time series with segmented regression was applied to analyze monthly DAP rate trends, adjusted for age, ethnicity and season. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) DAPs during late PCV13 period vs. 4 years pre-PCV were calculated both as absolute rate ratios (aIRR) and relative to expected rates (rIRR).

RESULTS

Of 1,090,870 DAPs, 57% were in children <2 years. All-DAP rates peaked in the cold season. Post-PCV7/PCV13 implementation, all DAP-rates abruptly and significantly declined, reaching a plateau within 5 years. This was largely driven by amoxicillin/amoxicillin-clavulanate (75% of DAPs). Age <2 years and Bedouin ethnicity were significantly associated with higher pre-PCV DAP rates but with faster and greater decline post-PCV, achieving near elimination of gaps between ages and ethnic groups. Overall reduction (and 95% CIs) in DAP rates per 1,000 was estimated between aIRR value (344.7 [370.9-358.4]) and rIRR value (110.4 [96.9-123.7]).

CONCLUSIONS

Shortly following PCV implementation, overall DAP rates showed an abrupt and steep decline, stabilizing within 5 years, in parallel to post-PCV respiratory infection trends previously described in this population, suggesting causality. The variable patterns of certain drug categories suggest additional influences beyond PCV.

Effect of prophylactic administration of antipyretics on the immune response to pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in children: a systematic review

Background

Prophylactic administration of antipyretics at the time of immunization seems to decrease some side effects, however reduced immune responses have been reported in some studies. This systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of prophylactic use of antipyretics on the immune response following administration of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).

Methods

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and observational studies concerning the immune response to PCVs after antipyretic administration was performed up to November 2020 in the electronic databases of Pubmed and Scopus.

Results

Of the 3956 citations retrieved, a total of 5 randomized control trials including 2775 children were included in the review. Included studies were referred to PCV10 (3 studies), PCV7 and PCV13 (one study each). The prophylactic administration of paracetamol decreased the immune response to certain pneumococcal serotypes in all included studies. The effect was more evident following primary vaccination and with immediate administration of paracetamol. Despite the reductions in antibody geometric mean concentrations, a robust memory response was observed following the booster dose. Besides, antibody titers remained above protective levels in 88–100% of participants. The use of ibuprofen, that was evaluated in two studies, did not seem to affect the immunogenicity of PCVs .

Conclusion

Although the reviewed studies had significant heterogeneity in design, paracetamol administration seems to affect the immune response for certain serotypes. The clinical significance of reduced immunogenicity especially before booster dose needs further investigation.

The impact and cost-effectiveness of introducing the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine into the paediatric immunisation programme in Iceland-A population-based time series analysis

INTRODUCTION

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a cause of infections that range in severity from acute otitis media (AOM) to pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). The 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV10) was introduced into the Icelandic paediatric immunisation programme in 2011. The aim was to estimate the population impact and cost-effectiveness of PHiD-CV10 introduction.

METHODS

Data on primary care visits from 2005-2015 and hospitalisations from 2005-2017 were obtained from population-based registries. A Bayesian time series analysis with synthetic controls was employed to estimate the number of cases of AOM, pneumonia and IPD that would have occurred between 2013-2017, had PHiD-CV10 not been introduced. Prevented cases were calculated by subtracting the observed number of cases from this estimate. The cost of the programme was calculated accounting for cost-savings due to prevented cases.

RESULTS

The introduction of PHiD-CV10 prevented 13,767 (95% credible interval [CI] 2,511-29,410) visits for AOM from 2013-2015, and prevented 1,814 (95%CI -523-4,512) hospitalisations for pneumonia and 53 (95%CI -17-177) admissions for IPD from 2013-2017. Visits for AOM decreased both among young children and among children 4-19 years of age, with rate ratios between 0.72-0.89. Decreases were observed in both pneumonia hospitalisations (rate ratios between 0.67-0.92) and IPD (rate ratios between 0.27-0.94). The total cost of implementing PHiD-CV10 in Iceland was -7,463,176 United States Dollars (USD) (95%CI -16,159,551-582,135) with 2.1 USD (95%CI 0.2-4.7) saved for every 1 USD spent.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of PHiD-CV10 was associated with large decreases in visits and hospitalisations for infections commonly caused by pneumococcus and was cost-saving during the first five years of the immunisation programme.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for preventing acute otitis media in children

BACKGROUND

Prior to introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), Streptococcus pneumoniae was most commonly isolated from the middle ear fluid of children with acute otitis media (AOM). Reducing nasopharyngeal colonisation of this bacterium by PCVs may lead to a decline in AOM. The effects of PCVs deserve ongoing monitoring since studies from the post-PCV era report a shift in causative otopathogens towards non-vaccine serotypes and other bacteria. This updated Cochrane Review was first published in 2002 and updated in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of PCVs in preventing AOM in children up to 12 years of age.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, LILACS, Web of Science, and two trials registers, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO ICTRP, to 11 June 2020.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials of PCV versus placebo or control vaccine.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used the standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. The primary outcomes were frequency of all-cause AOM and adverse effects. Secondary outcomes included frequency of pneumococcal AOM and frequency of recurrent AOM (defined as three or more AOM episodes in six months or four or more in one year). We used GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 15 publications of 11 trials (60,733 children, range 74 to 37,868 per trial) of 7- to 11-valent PCVs versus control vaccines (meningococcus type C vaccine in three trials, and hepatitis A or B vaccine in eight trials). We included one additional publication of a previously included trial for this 2020 update. We did not find any relevant trials with the newer 13-valent PCV. Most studies were funded by pharmaceutical companies. Overall, risk of bias was low. In seven trials (59,415 children), PCVs were administered in early infancy, whilst four trials (1318 children) included children aged one year and over who were either healthy or had a history of respiratory illness. There was considerable clinical heterogeneity across studies, therefore we reported results from individual studies. PCV administered in early infancy PCV7 The licenced 7-valent PCV with CRM197 as carrier protein (CRM197-PCV7) was associated with a 6% (95% confidence interval (CI) -4% to 16%; 1 trial; 1662 children) and 6% (95% CI 4% to 9%; 1 trial; 37,868 children) relative risk reduction (RRR) in low-risk infants (moderate-certainty evidence), but was not associated with a reduction in all-cause AOM in high-risk infants (RRR -5%, 95% CI -25% to 12%). PCV7 with the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B as carrier protein (OMPC-PCV7) was not associated with a reduction in all-cause AOM (RRR -1%, 95% CI -12% to 10%; 1 trial; 1666 children; low-certainty evidence). CRM197-PCV7 and OMPC-PCV7 were associated with 20% (95% CI 7% to 31%) and 25% (95% CI 11% to 37%) RRR in pneumococcal AOM, respectively (2 trials; 3328 children; high-certainty evidence), and CRM197-PCV7 with 9% (95% CI -12% to 27%) and 10% (95% CI 7% to 13%) RRR in recurrent AOM (2 trials; 39,530 children; moderate-certainty evidence). PHiD-CV10/11 The effect of a licenced 10-valent PCV conjugated to protein D, a surface lipoprotein of Haemophilus influenzae, (PHiD-CV10) on all-cause AOM in healthy infants varied from 6% (95% CI -6% to 17%; 1 trial; 5095 children) to 15% (95% CI -1% to 28%; 1 trial; 7359 children) RRR (low-certainty evidence). PHiD-CV11 was associated with 34% (95% CI 21% to 44%) RRR in all-cause AOM (1 trial; 4968 children; moderate-certainty evidence). PHiD-CV10 and PHiD-CV11 were associated with 53% (95% CI 16% to 74%) and 52% (95% CI 37% to 63%) RRR in pneumococcal AOM (2 trials; 12,327 children; high-certainty evidence), and PHiD-CV11 with 56% (95% CI -2% to 80%) RRR in recurrent AOM (1 trial; 4968 children; low-certainty evidence). PCV administered at a later age PCV7 We found no evidence of a beneficial effect on all-cause AOM of administering CRM197-PCV7 in children aged 1 to 7 years with a history of respiratory illness or frequent AOM (2 trials; 457 children; moderate-certainty evidence) and CRM197-PCV7 combined with a trivalent influenza vaccine in children aged 18 to 72 months with a history of respiratory tract infections (1 trial; 597 children; moderate-certainty evidence). CRM197-PCV9 In 1 trial including 264 healthy daycare attendees aged 1 to 3 years, CRM197-PCV9 was associated with 17% (95% CI -2% to 33%) RRR in parent-reported all-cause otitis media (very low-certainty evidence). Adverse events Nine trials reported on adverse effects (77,389 children; high-certainty evidence). Mild local reactions and fever were common in both groups, and occurred more frequently in PCV than in control vaccine groups: redness (< 2.5 cm): 5% to 20% versus 0% to 16%; swelling (< 2.5 cm): 5% to 12% versus 0% to 8%; and fever (< 39 °C): 15% to 44% versus 8% to 25%. More severe redness (> 2.5 cm), swelling (> 2.5 cm), and fever (> 39 °C) occurred less frequently (0% to 0.9%, 0.1% to 1.3%, and 0.4% to 2.5%, respectively) in children receiving PCV, and did not differ significantly between PCV and control vaccine groups. Pain or tenderness, or both, was reported more frequently in PCV than in control vaccine groups: 3% to 38% versus 0% to 8%. Serious adverse events judged to be causally related to vaccination were rare and did not differ significantly between groups, and no fatal serious adverse event judged causally related to vaccination was reported.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Administration of the licenced CRM197-PCV7 and PHiD-CV10 during early infancy is associated with large relative risk reductions in pneumococcal AOM. However, the effects of these vaccines on all-cause AOM is far more uncertain based on low- to moderate-certainty evidence. We found no evidence of a beneficial effect on all-cause AOM of administering PCVs in high-risk infants, after early infancy, and in older children with a history of respiratory illness. Compared to control vaccines, PCVs were associated with an increase in mild local reactions (redness, swelling), fever, and pain and/or tenderness. There was no evidence of a difference in more severe local reactions, fever, or serious adverse events judged to be causally related to vaccination.

Characteristics of frequent paediatric users of emergency departments in England: an observational study using routine national data

BACKGROUND

Frequent attendances of the same users in emergency departments (ED) can intensify workload pressures and are common among children, yet little is known about the characteristics of paediatric frequent users in EDs.

AIM

To describe the volume of frequent paediatric attendance in England and the demographics of frequent paediatric ED users in English hospitals.

METHOD

We analysed the Hospital Episode Statistics dataset for April 2014-March 2017. The study included 2 308 816 children under 16 years old who attended an ED at least once. Children who attended four times or more in 2015/2016 were classified as frequent users. The preceding and subsequent years were used to capture attendances bordering with the current year. We used a mixed effects logistic regression with a random intercept to predict the odds of being a frequent user in children from different sociodemographic groups.

RESULTS

One in 11 children (9.1%) who attended an ED attended four times or more in a year. Infants had a greater likelihood of being a frequent attender (OR 3.24, 95% CI 3.19 to 3.30 vs 5 to 9 years old). Children from more deprived areas had a greater likelihood of being a frequent attender (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.54 to 1.59 vs least deprived). Boys had a slightly greater likelihood than girls (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.06). Children of Asian and mixed ethnic groups were more likely to be frequent users than those from white ethnic groups, while children from black and 'other' had a lower likelihood (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.05; OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.06; OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.90; OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.92, respectively).

CONCLUSION

One in 11 children was a frequent attender. Interventions for reducing paediatric frequent attendance need to target infants and families living in deprived areas.

Summary of evidence to reduce the two-dose infant priming schedule to a single dose of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the national immunisation programme in the UK

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are highly effective in preventing invasive and non-invasive pneumococcal infections in all age groups through a combination of direct and indirect protection. In many industrialised countries with established PCV programmes, the maximum benefit of the PCV programme has already been achieved, with most cases now due to non-PCV serotypes. On Jan 1, 2020, the UK changed its childhood pneumococcal immunisation programme from a two-dose infant priming schedule with the 13-valent PCV at 8 and 16 weeks after birth, to a single priming dose at 12 weeks after birth, while retaining the 12-month booster. This decision was made after reviewing the evidence from surveillance data, clinical trials, epidemiological analyses, vaccine effectiveness estimates, and modelling studies to support the reduced schedule. In this Review, we summarise the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease in the UK, the evidence supporting the decision to implement a reduced schedule, and the national and global implications of the proposed schedule.

Changes in Otitis Media Episodes and Pressure Equalization Tube Insertions Among Young Children Following Introduction of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: A Birth Cohort-based Study

BACKGROUND

The impact of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) introduction on the occurrence of first and subsequent otitis media (OM) episodes in early childhood is unclear. We compared the risk of OM episodes among children age <2 years before and after PCV13 introduction, accounting for the dependence between OM episodes.

METHODS

We identified consecutive annual (July-June) cohorts of Tennessee Medicaid-enrolled children (2006-2014) from birth through age 2 years. We identified OM episodes using coded diagnoses (we classified diagnoses <21 days apart as the same episode). We modeled adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for OM comparing 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)-era (2006-2010) and PCV13-era (2011-2014) birth cohorts, accounting for risk factors and dependence between first and subsequent episodes. Secondary analyses examined pressure equalization tube (PET) insertions and compared the risk of recurrent OM (≥3 episodes in 6 months or ≥4 episodes in 12 months) between PCV7- and PCV13-era birth cohorts.

RESULTS

We observed 618 968 OM episodes and 24 875 PET insertions among 368 063 children. OM and PET insertion rates increased during the PCV7 years and declined after PCV13 introduction. OM and PET insertion risks were lower in the 2013-2014 cohort compared with the 2009-2010 cohort (aHRs [95% confidence interval], 0.92 [.91-.93] and 0.76 [.72-.80], respectively). PCV13 introduction was associated with declines in the risk of first, subsequent, and recurrent OM.

CONCLUSIONS

The transition from PCV7 to PCV13 was associated with a decline of OM among children aged <2 years due to a reduction in the risk of both the first and subsequent OM episodes.

Effect of vaccination on the use of antimicrobial agents: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health threat. To preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials, it is important to reduce demand for antimicrobials.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the study was to screen the existing peer-reviewed literature to identify articles that addressed the potential impact of influenza or Pneumococcus vaccination on antibiotic usage. Data sources: PubMed, Embase Study eligibility criteria: Clinical studies where antimicrobial prescribing was assessed in both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. Participants and interventions: All patient populations were included (infants, children, adults and elderly), where the effects of the intervention (vaccination) was assessed.

RESULTS

We identified unique 3638 publications, of which 26 were judged to be of sufficiently high quality to allow the calculation of the potential impact of vaccination. Of these studies 23/26 found a significant reduction in antibiotic use by at least one of the parameters assessed.

LIMITATIONS

Different measures used to define anti-microbial use, studies typically focus on specific risk groups and most studies are from high-income countries. Conclusions and implications of key findings: Despite the limitations of the review, the evidence indicates that improved coverage with existing vaccines may significantly reduce antimicrobial demand. This suggests it may be a valuable tool for antimicrobial stewardship. Key messages While vaccines against a number of pathogens have been studied for their ability to reduce antimicrobial use, currently only vaccination against influenza or pneumococcus has generated sufficient data for analysis Vaccination against either influenza or pneumococcus significantly reduced overall antimicrobial prescribing rates, both in vaccinated individuals and at a population level Maintaining and expanding vaccination coverage thus appears to be a key tool for antimicrobial stewardship.

Communicating Benefits from Vaccines Beyond Preventing Infectious Diseases

Despite immunisation being one of the greatest medical success stories of the twentieth century, there is a growing lack of confidence in some vaccines. Improving communication about the direct benefits of vaccination as well as its benefits beyond preventing infectious diseases may help regain this lost confidence. A conference was organised at the Fondation Merieux in France to discuss what benefits could be communicated and how innovative digital initiatives can used for communication. During this meeting, a wide range of indirect benefits of vaccination were discussed. For example, influenza vaccination can reduce hospitalisations and deaths in older persons with diabetes by 45% and 38%, respectively, but the link between influenza and complications from underlying chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes is frequently underestimated. Vaccination can reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is growing, by reducing the incidence of infectious disease (though direct and indirect or herd protection), by reducing the number of circulating AMR strains, and by reducing the need for antimicrobial use. Disease morbidity and treatment costs in the elderly population are likely to rise substantially, with the ageing global population. Healthy ageing and life-course vaccination approaches can reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as seasonal influenza and pneumococcal diseases, which place a significant burden on individuals and society, while improving quality of life. Novel disease surveillance systems based on information from Internet search engines, mobile phone apps, social media, cloud-based electronic health records, and crowd-sourced systems, contribute to improved awareness of disease burden. Examples of the role of new techniques and tools to process data generated by multiple sources, such as artificial intelligence, to support vaccination programmes, such as influenza and dengue, were discussed. The conference participants agreed that continual efforts are needed from all stakeholders to ensure effective, transparent communication of the full benefits and risks of vaccination.

The change of prevalence and recurrence of acute otitis media in Korea

OBJECTIVES

Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common infectious disease in infants and children. However, there have been few studies on the recent prevalence and trends of pediatric AOM in Korea. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and trends of pediatric AOM in Korea.

METHODS

The data for patients with AOM in 2012, 2015, and 2017 were extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's Big Database. The prevalence rate, recurrence rate, and data on gender, region, month, and medical facilities of AOM were evaluated.

RESULTS

The prevalence rate (per 1000 persons) decreased from 152.7 in 2012 to 137.4 in 2017. The recurrence rate declined from 34.0% in 2012 to 28.2% in 2015. In 2015, the recurrence rate of 0-2 years group decreased significantly. In 2017, the prevalence of AOM of 3-6 years group decreased the most. The prevalence is higher in urban areas and recurrence rate is higher in rural areas. But those are no significant difference. AOM is more common in male, mainly in winter and spring.

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE

The prevalence and recurrence rate of pediatric AOM in Korea are gradually decreasing. The decrease of prevalence resulted from declination in AOM recurrence of 0-2 years group in 2015 and AOM occurrence of 3-6 years group in 2017.

Health and Economic Impact of Routine Pediatric Pneumococcal Immunization Programs in Canada: A Retrospective Analysis

Objective

A model was developed to estimate the historical impact (including total societal health and economic benefit) of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) programs in the overall Canadian population between 2005 and 2015, inclusively.

Methods

Historical incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), pneumonia, and acute otitis media (AOM) were obtained from epidemiologic databases supplemented with published and unpublished data. Two scenarios were considered: (1) the observed historical incidence from 2005 to 2015 in the setting of PCV use; (2) a hypothetical scenario in which we estimated the number of disease cases assuming no PCV use. Disease cases averted as a result of PCV programs were calculated by subtracting the number of observed historical cases from the number of estimated cases expected in the absence of PCV use.

Results

PCV programs were estimated to have saved 6631 lives and averted 14,990 IPD cases, 735,700 pneumonia episodes, and 3,697,993 AOM episodes. Positive clinical outcomes resulted in total cost savings of CAD $1.76 billion over 11 years. Vaccination costs were offset by the direct medical cost savings from fewer cases of IPD, pneumonia, and AOM.

Conclusions

Canadian PCV programs have provided significant health benefits and resulted in a substantial value for money. Net savings achieved over the reviewed period would have provided funding for $1.76 billion in other health care costs or public health initiatives. These findings highlight the importance of considering the total value of a vaccination program, rather than vaccine acquisition costs only, when assessing the value of immunization programs.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s40121-020-00294-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines Turning the Tide on Inequity: A Retrospective Cohort Study of New Zealand Children Born 2006-2015

BACKGROUND

Hospitalization rates for infectious diseases in New Zealand (NZ) children have increased since 1989. The highest burden is among Māori and Pacific children, and the most socioeconomically deprived. New Zealand introduced pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)7 in June 2008, PCV10 in 2011, and PCV13 in 2014.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of NZ children aged <6 years between 2006 and 2015 was performed using administrative databases. Demographics and hospitalizations were linked to evaluate the impact of the PCV vaccination program on cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), all-cause pneumonia (ACP), and otitis media (OM), defined by ICD-10-AM codes, and to explore the effect by ethnicity and deprivation.

RESULTS

Between 2006 and 2015, there were 640 children hospitalized with IPD, 26589 for ACP, and 44545 for OM. IPD hospitalizations declined by 73% between 2005 and 2015 for children <6 years of age, whereas ACP and OM declined by 8% and 25%, respectively. The highest rates for all diseases were among Māori and Pacific children and those from high deprivation. However, the declines were highest among Māori and Pacific children and those from socioeconomically deprived areas. IPD hospitalizations declined by 79% and 67% for Māori and Pacific children, respectively, between 2006 and 2015. ACP declined by 12% in Māori and 21% in Pacific children. OM declined by 51% in Māori children.

CONCLUSION

In contrast to the increasing trend of hospitalization rates for infectious disease in New Zealand, the use of PCV appears associated with reductions in ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in hospitalization for IPD, ACP, and OM.

Association between National Treatment Guidelines for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections and Outpatient Pediatric Antibiotic Use in France: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To test whether updated clinical practice guidelines for managing upper respiratory tract infections released in France in November 2011 were associated with changes in national outpatient pediatric antibiotic use.

STUDY DESIGN

We performed an interrupted time-series analysis using national antibiotic dispensation data in French children from January 2009 to December 2017 (IQVIA Suivi de la Dispensation Médicale database). We described the overall evolution of antibiotic prescription rates and modeled the changes in the proportion of amoxicillin and the proportion of broad-spectrum antibiotics following the guidelines in 2 age groups (0-5 and 6-14 years old).

RESULTS

We analyzed 123 million pediatric antibiotic prescriptions. The most commonly prescribed individual antibiotic agent was amoxicillin (37.7%). Over the study period, the annual antibiotic prescription rate decreased by 33.1% (from 1387 to 928 per 1000 pediatric inhabitants per year), consistently across age groups and major antibiotic agents except for amoxicillin (+14.4%). After the release of the guidelines, we observed a gradual increase in the proportion of amoxicillin (relative change 5 years postintervention of +64.3% [95% CI 51.6-80.1] and +28.4% [21.1-36.2] for children 0-5 and 6-14 years, respectively) concomitantly with a gradual decrease in the proportion of broad-spectrum antibiotics (relative change 5 years postintervention of -26.1% [-29.3, -23.7] and -19.8% [-22.1, -16.0] for children 0-5 and 6-14 years old, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The 2011 guidelines for upper respiratory tract infections preceded changes in outpatient pediatric antibiotic use at the national level, with a replacement of broad-spectrum antibiotics by amoxicillin.

Intervention analysis and classification: key to health outcomes optimization

PURPOSE

Measures are important to healthcare outcomes. Outcome changes result from deliberate selective intervention introduction on a measure. If measures can be characterized and categorized, then the resulting schema may be generalized and utilized as a framework for uniquely identifying, packaging and comparing different interventions and probing target systems to facilitate selecting the most appropriate intervention for maximum desired outcomes. Measure characterization was accomplished with multi-axial statistical analysis and measure categorization by logical tabulation. The measure of interest is a key provider productivity index: "patient visits per hour," while the specific intervention is "patient schedule manipulation by overbooking." The paper aims to discuss these issues.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

For statistical analysis, interrupted time series (ITS), robust-ITS and outlier detection models were applied to an 18-month data set that included patient visits per hour and intervention introduction time. A statistically significant change-point was determined, resulting in pre-intervention, transitional and post-effect segmentation. Linear regression modeling was used to analyze pre-intervention and post-effect mean change while a triangle was used to analyze the transitional state. For categorization, an "intervention moments" table was constructed from the analysis results with: time-to-effect, pre- and post-mean change magnitude and velocity; pre- and post-correlation and variance; and effect decay/doubling time. The table included transitional parameters such as transition velocity and transition footprint visualization represented as a triangle.

FINDINGS

The intervention produced a significant change. The pre-intervention and post-effect means for patient visits per hour were statistically different (0.38, p=0.0001). The pre- and post-variance change (0.23, p=0.01) was statistically significant (variance was higher post-intervention, which was undesirable). Post-intervention correlation was higher (desirable). Decay time for the effect was calculated as 11 months post-effect. Time-to-effect was four months; mean change velocity was +0.094 visits per h/month. A transition triangular footprint was produced, yielding 0.35 visits per hr/month transition velocity. Using these results, the intervention was fully profiled and thereby categorized as an intervention moments table.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

One limitation is sample size for this time series, 18 monthly cycles' analysis. However, interventions on measures in healthcare demand short time cycles (hence necessarily yielding fewer data points) for practicality, meaningfulness and usefulness. Despite this shortcoming, the statistical processes applied such as outliers detection, t-test for mean difference, F-test for variances and modeling, all consider the small sample sizes. Seasonality, which usually affects time series, was not detected and even if present, was also considered by modeling.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Obtaining an intervention profile, made possible by multidimensional analysis, allows interventions to be uniquely classified and categorized, enabling informed, comparative and appropriate selective deployment against health measures, thus potentially contributing to outcomes optimization.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The inevitable direction for healthcare is heavy investment in measures outcomes optimization to improve: patient experience; population health; and reduce costs. Interventions are the tools that change outcomes. Creative modeling and applying novel methods for intervention analysis are necessary if healthcare is to achieve this goal. Analytical methods should categorize and rank interventions; probe the measures to improve future selection and adoption; reveal the organic systems' strengths and shortcomings implementing the interventions for fine-tuning for better performance.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

An "intervention moments table" is proposed, created from a multi-axial statistical intervention analysis for organizing, classifying and categorizing interventions. The analysis-set was expanded with additional parameters such as time-to-effect, mean change velocity and effect decay time/doubling time, including transition zone analysis, which produced a unique transitional footprint; and transition velocity. The "intervention moments" should facilitate intervention cross-comparisons, intervention selection and optimal intervention deployment for best outcomes optimization.

Updated Guidelines for the Management of Acute Otitis Media in Children by the Italian Society of Pediatrics: Prevention

BACKGROUND

In recent years, new information has been acquired regarding the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of acute otitis media (AOM). The Italian Pediatric Society, therefore, decided to issue an update to the Italian Pediatric Society guidelines published in 2010.

METHODS

The search was conducted on Pubmed, and only those studies regarding the pediatric age alone, in English or Italian, published between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018, were included. Each study included in the review was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology. The quality of the systematic reviews was evaluated using the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2 appraisal tool. The guidelines were formulated using the GRADE methodology by a multidisciplinary panel of experts.

RESULTS

The importance of eliminating risk factors (passive smoking, environmental pollution, use of pacifier, obesity, limitation of day-care center attendance) and the promotion of breastfeeding and hygiene practices (nasal lavages) was confirmed. The importance of pneumococcal vaccination in the prevention of AOM was reiterated with regard to the prevention of both the first episode of AOM and recurrences. Grommets can be inserted in selected cases of recurrent AOM that did not respond to all other prevention strategies. Antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended for the prevention of recurrent AOM, except in certain carefully selected cases. The use of complementary therapies, probiotics, xylitol and vitamin D is not recommended.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevention of episodes of AOM requires the elimination of risk factors and pneumococcal and influenza vaccination. The use of other products such as probiotics and vitamin D is not supported by adequate evidence.

The impact of the "Health Transformation Plan" and related policies on the prevalence rate of cesarean section in Iran: Insights from an interrupted time series analysis

BACKGROUND

The high prevalence of cesarean section represents a major public health challenge worldwide. In 2014, the Iranian Health Transformation Plan (HTP) included programs promoting vaginal delivery.

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the HTP on the rate of cesarean section in Iran.

METHOD

The interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) was used. Cesarean section- and vaginal delivery-related monthly data were collected from eight public hospitals affiliated with the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, from March 2012 to February 2019. The autocorrelation plots and the Durbin-Watson test were used for evaluating the autocorrelation between data points in the generalized least squares regression model.

RESULTS

The ITSA showed that the rate of cesarean section decreased immediately after the HTP, by -0.002 per 1000 persons (95% CI, -0.004 to -0.001; P = .069). After the HTP, a significant decreasing trend of cesarean section per month was computed (-0.003; 95% CI, -0.005 to 0.012; P = .043).

CONCLUSION

The present study showed that the implementation of the HTP policy was effective in reducing the rate of cesarean section. This policy should continue, involving relevant stakeholders, raising mothers' awareness and motivation, and providing financial support.

The impact of routine childhood immunization with higher-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on antimicrobial-resistant pneumococcal diseases and carriage: a systematic literature review

Introduction: The introduction of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in childhood immunization programs reduced antimicrobial-resistant pneumococcal infections by vaccine serotypes. However, emerging antimicrobial-resistant non-vaccine serotypes, particularly serotype 19A, attenuated the overall effect. In 2010, higher-valent PCVs became available containing serotypes that are prone to become antimicrobial-resistant, like serotype 7F in PCV10 and PCV13, and serotype 19A in PCV13.Areas covered: This review evaluated literature published between June 1, 2008 and June 1, 2017 reporting on the effect of PCV10 or PCV13 implementation in routine infant immunization schedules on antimicrobial-resistant invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), otitis media (OM), and nasopharyngeal carriage (NPC) in children and adults.Expert opinion: In countries with relatively high prior pneumococcal antimicrobial resistance (AMR), PCV13 childhood vaccination programs have reduced antimicrobial-resistant IPD, OM, and NPC in children and IPD in adults. The effectiveness of PCV13 against serotype 19A is likely an important contributing factor. Only few studies have documented the impact of PCV10 on AMR. Multiple factors may influence observed decreases in pneumococcal AMR including antimicrobial stewardship, case definition, time since PCV10/13 introduction, and pre-PCV10/13 AMR levels. This review emphasizes the importance of including impact on AMR when evaluating the full public health of pneumococcal vaccination programs.

Impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the incidences of acute otitis media, recurrent otitis media and tympanostomy tube insertion in children after its implementation into the national immunization program in Turkey

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the incidences of acute otitis media (AOM), recurrent AOM (rAOM) and tympanostomy tube (TT) insertion in children following the introduction of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) into the national immunization program (NIP) of Turkey in April 2011. National coverage for the PCV7 was 97% in 2009, 93% in 2010, 96% in 2011 and for the PVC13 was 97% in 2012, 97% in 2013, 96% in 2014, 97% in 2015, 98% in 2016, and 96% in 2017 for Turkish children younger than 12 months of age. A total of 499932 pediatric visits were recorded, and AOM was diagnosed in 23005 (4.6%) children. The incidence of AOM in children ≤5 years of age decreased from 10700/100000 (2011) to 4712/100000 (2017), with a significant decreasing trend (p < .001, r = -0.965). When the mean annual incidences of AOM between the transition period of PCV13 (years 2011/2012) were compared with those of a post-PCV13 period (years 2016/2017) for children ≤5 years of age, the incidence of AOM was found to be decreased by 54% (p = 0.013). The mean incidence of TT insertion was found to be decreased by 65% (p = 0.003) between the transition period of PCV13 and a post-PCV13 period for children ≤5 years of age. On the other hand, rAOM incidence was found to be increased in whole pediatric age groups. Our study showed a significant decrease in the incidences of AOM and TT insertion in children ≤5 years old after implementation of PCV13 in the NIP in Turkey.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for preventing acute otitis media in children

BACKGROUND

Prior to introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), Streptococcus pneumoniae was most commonly isolated from middle ear fluid of children with acute otitis media (AOM). Reducing nasopharyngeal colonisation of this bacterium by PCVs may lead to a decline in AOM. The effects of PCVs deserve ongoing monitoring since studies from the post-PCV era report a shift in causative otopathogens towards non-vaccine serotypes and other bacteria. This updated Cochrane Review was first published in 2002 and updated in 2004, 2009, and 2014. The review title was changed (to include the population, i.e. children) for this update.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of PCVs in preventing AOM in children up to 12 years of age.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, LILACS, Web of Science, and trials registers (ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO ICTRP) to 29 March 2019.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials of PCV versus placebo or control vaccine.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used the standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. The primary outcomes were frequency of all-cause AOM and adverse effects. Secondary outcomes included frequency of pneumococcal AOM and frequency of recurrent AOM (defined as three or more AOM episodes in six months or four or more in one year). We used GRADE to assess the quality of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 14 publications of 11 trials (60,733 children, range 74 to 37,868 per trial) of 7- to 11-valent PCVs versus control vaccines (meningococcus type C vaccine in three trials, and hepatitis A or B vaccine in eight trials). We included two additional trials for this update. We did not find any relevant trials with the newer 13-valent PCV. Most studies were funded by pharmaceutical companies. Overall, risk of bias was low. In seven trials (59,415 children) PCVs were administered in early infancy, while four trials (1318 children) included children aged one year and over who were either healthy or had a history of respiratory illness. There was considerable clinical heterogeneity across studies, therefore we did not perform meta-analyses.Adverse eventsNine trials reported on adverse effects (77,389 children; high-quality evidence). Mild local reactions and fever were common in both groups, and occurred more frequently in PCV than in control vaccine groups: redness (< 2.5 cm): 5% to 20% versus 0% to 16%; swelling (< 2.5 cm): 5% to 12% versus 0% to 8%; and fever (< 39 °C): 15% to 44% versus 8% to 25%. More severe redness (> 2.5 cm), swelling (> 2.5 cm), and fever (> 39 °C) occurred less frequently (0% to 0.9%, 0.1% to 1.3%, and 0.4% to 2.5%, respectively in children receiving PCV) and did not differ significantly between PCV and control vaccine groups. Pain or tenderness, or both was reported more frequently in PCV than in control vaccine groups: 3% to 38% versus 0% to 8%. Serious adverse events judged causally related to vaccination were rare and did not differ significantly between groups, and no fatal serious adverse event judged causally related to vaccination was reported.PCV administered in early infancyPCV7The effect of a licenced 7-valent PCV with CRM197 as carrier protein (CRM197-PCV7) on all-cause AOM varied from -5% (95% confidence interval (CI) -25% to 12%) relative risk reduction (RRR) in high-risk infants (1 trial; 944 children; moderate-quality evidence) to 6% (95% CI -4% to 16%; 1 trial; 1662 children) and 6% (95% CI 4% to 9%; 1 trial; 37,868 children) RRR in low-risk infants (high-quality evidence). PCV7 with the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B as carrier protein (OMPC-PCV7), was not associated with a reduction in all-cause AOM (RRR -1%, 95% CI -12% to 10%; 1 trial; 1666 children; high-quality evidence).CRM197-PCV7 and OMPC-PCV7 were associated with 20% (95% CI 7% to 31%) and 25% (95% CI 11% to 37%) RRR in pneumococcal AOM, respectively (2 trials; 3328 children; high-quality evidence) and CRM197-PCV7 with 9% (95% CI -12% to 27%) to 10% (95% CI 7% to 13%) RRR in recurrent AOM (2 trials; 39,530 children; high-quality evidence).PHiD-CV10/11The effect of a licenced 10-valent PCV conjugated to protein D, a surface lipoprotein of Haemophilus influenzae, (PHiD-CV10) on all-cause AOM varied from 6% (95% CI -6% to 17%; 1 trial; 5095 children) to 15% (95% CI -1% to 28%; 1 trial; 7359 children) RRR in healthy infants (moderate-quality evidence). PHiD-CV11 was associated with 34% (95% CI 21% to 44%) RRR in all-cause AOM (1 trial; 4968 children; high-quality evidence).PHiD-CV10 and PHiD-CV11 were associated with 53% (95% CI 16% to 74%) and 52% (95% CI 37% to 63%) RRR in pneumococcal AOM (2 trials; 12,327 children; high-quality evidence) and PHiD-CV11 with 56% (95% CI -2% to 80%) RRR in recurrent AOM (1 trial; 4968 children; moderate-quality evidence).PCV administered at later agePCV7We found no evidence of a beneficial effect on all-cause AOM of administering CRM197-PCV7 in children aged 1 to 7 years with a history of respiratory illness or frequent AOM (2 trials; 457 children; high-quality evidence) and CRM197-PCV7 combined with a trivalent influenza vaccine in children aged 18 to 72 months with a history of respiratory tract infections (1 trial; 597 children; high-quality evidence).CRM197-PCV9In 1 trial including 264 healthy day-care attendees aged 1 to 3 years, CRM197-PCV9 was associated with 17% (95% CI -2% to 33%) RRR in parent-reported all-cause OM (low-quality evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Administration of the licenced CRM197-PCV7 and PHiD-CV10 during early infancy is associated with large relative risk reductions in pneumococcal AOM. However, the effects of these vaccines on all-cause AOM is far more uncertain. We found no evidence of a beneficial effect on all-cause AOM of administering PCVs in high-risk infants, after early infancy (i.e. in children one year and above), and in older children with a history of respiratory illness. Compared to control vaccines, PCVs were associated with an increase in mild local reactions (redness, swelling), fever, and pain and/or tenderness. We found no evidence of a difference in more severe local reactions, fever, or serious adverse events judged causally related to vaccination.

National impact of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on ambulatory care visits for otitis media in children under 5 years in the United States

OBJECTIVE

The 7- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV7 and PCV13) were approved in the US in 2000 and 2010, respectively, for active immunization against invasive disease caused by all vaccine serotypes and otitis media (OM) caused by 7 serotypes common to both vaccines, starting at ∼6 weeks of age. This study assessed the impact of PCV13 on OM by evaluating changes in US ambulatory care visit rates between the period before PCV7 (1997-1999), during PCV7 (2001-2009), and after the introduction of PCV13 (2011-2013) among US children <5 years old.

METHODS

This ecological study used US National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. Trend analyses using weighted least-squares regression and mean visit rates were calculated for OM and two control endpoints not likely to be related to either vaccine (skin rash and trauma).

RESULTS

Among children <5 and < 2 years old, the observed reduction in OM visit rates was 22% (95%CI: 12%-32%) and 24% (95%CI: 13%-35%) when comparing PCV13 to PCV7 periods, and 41% (95%CI: 30%-52%) and 48% (95%CI: 37%-59%) when comparing PCV13 to pre-PCV7 periods. Visit rates for skin rash and trauma remained stable.

CONCLUSION

Significant reductions in US ambulatory care visit rates for OM were observed among children aged <5 years after introduction of PCV13 compared to the periods before and during PCV7; reductions were greatest among children <2 years old. The reductions beyond the PCV7 period support the effectiveness of the vaccine's 6 additional serotypes in preventing OM.

Toward economic evaluation of the value of vaccines and other health technologies in addressing AMR

We discuss the need to make economic evaluations of vaccines antimicrobial resistance (AMR)-sensitive and ways to do so. Such AMR-sensitive evaluations can play a role in value-for-money comparisons of different vaccines within a national immunization program, or in comparisons of vaccine-centric and non-vaccine-centric technologies within an anti-AMR program. In general terms, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and rates of return and their associated decision rules are unaltered by consideration of AMR-related value. The decision metrics need to have their various health, cost, and socioeconomic terms disaggregated into resistance-related subcategories, which in turn have to be measured carefully before they are reaggregated. The fundamental scientific challenges lie primarily in quantifying the causal impact of health technologies on resistance-related health outcomes, and secondarily in ascertaining the economic value of those outcomes. We emphasize the importance of evaluating vaccines in the context of other potentially complementary and substitutable nonvaccine technologies. Complementarity implies that optimal spending on each set of interventions is positive, and substitutability implies that the ratio of spending will depend on relative value for money. We exemplify this general point through a qualitative discussion of the complementarities and (especially the) substitutability between pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and antimicrobial stewardship and between research and development (R&D) of a gonorrhea vaccine versus R&D of a gonorrhea antibiotic. We propose a roadmap for future work, which includes quantifying the causal effects of vaccination and other health technologies on short-term and long-term resistance-related outcomes, measuring the health-sector costs and broader socioeconomic consequences of resistance-related mortality and morbidity, and evaluating vaccines in the context of nonvaccine complements and substitutes.