title: Lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic: the need to improve systematic vaccination in Sickle Cell Disease children. A multi center survey in Italy.
abstract: During the recent H1N1 pandemic, children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) experienced more hospitalizations and more complications than the general pediatric population. We performed a retrospective multicenter survey at 9 Pediatric Haematology-Oncology Units across Italy. H1N1 admission rate was 5.2%, with all admissions occurring before vaccine availability. Length Of Stay (LOS) was 6.06 days (7.85 for Acute Chest Syndrome), longer than in other countries. Vaccination coverage was not homogeneous, ranging from 0 to 99%; several family-related and health-system related barriers in accessing vaccinations were identified that should be ameliorated to improve coverage in this high risk group of children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. rcolombatti@gmail.com
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colombatti
authors.forename: Silverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masera
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palazzi
authors.forename: Lucia Dora
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Notarangelo
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pusiol
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonetto
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Zen
authors.forename: Agostino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nocerino
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Samperi
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo-Mancuso
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sainati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines