Clinical and economic impact of influenza vaccination on healthy children aged 2-5 years.
This paper reports the data concerning the net economic cost savings attributable to influenza vaccination in healthy children aged 2-5 years, and may be useful when deciding the best recommendations for the use of influenza vaccine in pediatrics. A total of 303 previously unprimed healthy children aged 2-5 years (163 males; mean age+/-S.D.: 3.22+/-2.43 years) were prospectively, blindly randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive two doses of an inactivated, trivalent, virosome-formulated subunit influenza vaccine (Inflexal V, Berna Biotech, Berne, Switzerland) or no vaccination. The results show that influenza vaccination of healthy children aged 2-5 years substantially reduces influenza-like illnesses and related costs in the children themselves and their families. However, larger and longer running study spanning multiple seasons may be warranted before suggesting the universal vaccination of this group of subjects.
Esposito
Susanna
S
Institute of Pediatrics, Pediatric Department 1, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.
Marchisio
Paola
P
Bosis
Samantha
S
Lambertini
Lara
L
Claut
Laura
L
Faelli
Nadia
N
Bianchi
Ciro
C
Colombo
Giorgio L
GL
Principi
Nicola
N
D002675:Child, Preschool; D017046:Cost Savings; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000191:economics*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D007252:Influenza Vaccines