title: Clinical and economic impact of influenza vaccination on healthy children aged 2-5 years.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatrics, Pediatric Department 1, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchisio
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosis
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lambertini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Claut
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Faelli
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Giorgio L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines