Perceived Risk of Severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease and Immunoprophylaxis Use Among US Pediatric Specialists

Effectiveness of palivizumab immunoprophylaxis to prevent respiratory syncytial virus hospitalizations in healthy full-term <6-month-old infants from the circumpolar region of Nunavik, Quebec, Canada

In Quebec, Canada, eligibility for palivizumab (PVZ) immunoprophylaxis was expanded in fall 2016 to include healthy-full-term (HFT) infants residing in the circumpolar region of Nunavik and aged <3 months at the start of the RSV season or born during the season. This study assessed the effectiveness of PVZ to prevent RSV hospitalizations in these infants during the 3 seasons following its implementation. Medical and laboratory records of <1-year-old infants (375 average annual birth cohort) admitted to regional and tertiary hospitals with respiratory infection during 6 years were reviewed. Individual pharmacy data and birth registries were used to estimate adherence to PVZ and direct PVZ effectiveness in 0-5-month-old HFT infants by comparing the incidence of RSV hospitalizations 1) in protected and unprotected infants, and 2) during PVZ-protected and unprotected days. Over six seasons, the RSV hospitalization rate was 50.2/1000 (72.6/1000 adjusted for underdetection) in <1-year-old infants. PVZ was administered to 73% (469) of eligible HFT infants; 37% (237) received all recommended doses. Overall for the three RSV seasons the incidence of RSV hospitalization in PVZ-protected infants was similar to PVZ-unprotected infants, resulting in PVZ direct effectiveness of -6.7% (95% CI -174.8%, 85.6%). The incidence of RSV hospitalization during PVZ-protected and during PVZ-unprotected days was also similar, resulting in PVZ direct effectiveness of -3.8% (CI -167.6%, 64.9%). Over three RSV seasons, there was no evidence that PVZ reduced RSV hospitalizations in HFT Nunavik infants. In addition, the sub-optimal adherence to the recommended PVZ administration schedule suggests feasibility and acceptability issues.

Neonatal outcomes following new reimbursement limitations on palivizumab in Italy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of new reimbursement decisions for palivizumab treatment on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalisations and the concomitant number of palivizumab prescriptions for infants aged <2 years.

DESIGN

We compared the RSV hospitalisation rates in infants before and after implementation of new limitations during three RSV seasons 2014-2017.

SETTING

Population aged <2 years at the beginning of each RSV seasons extracted from regional health systems (Lazio region, 2016, 5 898 124 inhabitants and 47 595 births).

PATIENTS

Out of 70 323 infants, 5895 (8.4%) premature babies (gestational age (GA) <37 weeks) were followed before-after Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA)-2016 limitations.

INTERVENTION

In 2016, AIFA, following the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, decided to limit coverage of palivizumab prophylaxis (GA ≤29 weeks).

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES

Trend of hospitalisations by months and rate of RSV before-after new restrictions were analysed. Palivizumab prescriptions and costs for National Health Service (NHS) were considered.

RESULTS

In a population of 284 902 aged <2 years, the number of hospitalisations due to RSV infection was 1729. Following AIFA-2016 limitations, a reduction in the number of RSV infection-based hospitalisations from 6.3/1000 (95% CI 6.0 to 6.7) to 5.5/1000 (95% CI 5.0 to 5.9) was observed. Palivizumab showed a concomitant reduction of 48% in the number of prescriptions (saving €750 000 for the NHS). No differences of GA, age on admission or severity of RSV infection were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of the new palivizumab reimbursement criteria was not associated with an increase in the RSV hospitalisation rate for children aged <2 years despite a significant reduction in the number of palivizumab prescriptions.

Respiratory syncytial virus hospitalization risk in the second year of life by specific congenital heart disease diagnoses

Children with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease (CHD) are at elevated risk of morbidity and mortality due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease compared to their healthy peers. Previous studies have demonstrated lower RSV hospitalization risk among all children with CHD at 12-23 months of age versus 0-11 months of age. However, RSV hospitalization risk at 12-23 months of age by specific CHD diagnosis has not been characterized. Both case-control and cohort studies were conducted using data from the US National Inpatient Sample from 1997 to 2013 to characterize relative risk of RSV hospitalization among children 12-23 months of age with CHD. Related CHD diagnoses were combined for analysis. Hospitalizations for RSV and unspecified bronchiolitis were described by length of stay, mechanical ventilation use, mortality, and total charges. Over the 17-year period, 1,168,886 live birth hospitalizations with CHD were identified. Multiple specific CHD conditions had an elevated odds ratio or relative risk of RSV hospitalization. Mean total RSV hospitalization charges were significantly higher among children with CHD relative to those without CHD ($19,650 vs $7,939 in 2015 dollars) for this period. Compared to children without CHD, children with Ebstein's anomaly, transposition of the great arteries, aortic stenosis, heterotaxia, and aortic arch anomalies had 367-, 344-, 203-, 117- and 47-fold increased risk of inpatient RSV mortality, respectively. Unspecified bronchiolitis hospitalization odds and relative risk across CHD diagnoses were similar to those observed with RSV hospitalization; however, unspecified bronchiolitis hospitalizations were associated with shorter mean days of stay and less frequently associated with mechanical ventilation or mortality. Among children with more severe CHD diagnoses, RSV disease remains an important health risk through the second year of life. These data can help inform decisions regarding interventions to protect children with CHD from severe RSV disease during their second year of life.

National Evidence in Israel Supporting Reevaluation of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prophylactic Guidelines

BACKGROUND

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently narrowed the indications for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prophylaxis, while in Israel the guidelines have not changed.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the prevalence and severity of RSV infection among preterm infants born earlier than 340/7 weeks of gestation (PI), late preterm infants born at 340/7-366/7 weeks (LPTI), and term infants born after 370/7 weeks of gestation (TI) and to determine whether the results support a change in local policy.

METHODS

Data of all children aged 0-14 years hospitalized with PCR-positive RSV in a single tertiary center from 2010 to 2014 were collected. A total of 793 children were included and divided into 3 groups: 637 were TI, 105 were LPTI, and 50 were PI. These groups were compared regarding incidence of hospitalization due to RSV infection, intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization, and length of hospitalization.

RESULTS

The hospitalization rate due to RSV infection was 5.2, 3.5, and 1.3% among PI, LPTI, and TI, respectively (p < 0.01). The hospitalization rate in the ICU was 24, 7.6, and 3% among PI, LPTI, and TI, respectively (p < 0.001). The length (days) of hospitalization was significantly longer among PI compared with LPTI and TI (p < 0.001). Overall, the hospitalization rate and disease severity were significantly higher for infants born earlier than 35 weeks of gestation compared with more maturely born infants.

CONCLUSION

RSV infection remains a major cause of morbidity among children born prematurely even after RSV prophylaxis and would probably be greater were prophylaxis curtailed. Our results do not support applying the current AAP guidelines in Israel. Further local studies are needed to optimize prophylaxis for both PI and LPTI.

The Logistics and Coordination of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immunoprophylaxis Use Among US Pediatric Specialists

This study was conducted to survey US pediatric specialists about administration of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunoprophylaxis, communication patterns among physicians and parents, and barriers to access. Separate surveys were sent to neonatologists, pediatricians, pediatric pulmonologists, and pediatric cardiologists. Most physicians (≥93.5%) routinely recommended immunoprophylaxis to high-risk children. Most respondents (≥71.8%) reported that >50.0% of eligible infants and young children received each monthly dose throughout the RSV season, with the first dose most commonly administered before discharge from the birth hospitalization. To ensure receipt of subsequent doses, specialists frequently scheduled a follow-up visit at the end of the current appointment. All specialists reported insurance denials as the biggest obstacle to the administration of immunoprophylaxis to high-risk children. These findings may be used to improve adherence to immunoprophylaxis by enhancing education and physician-parent communications about severe RSV disease prevention, and by reducing known barriers to use of this preventive therapy.