title: Respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants and children with congenital heart disease:  update on the evidence of prevention with palivizumab.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lower respiratory tract infections multiply morbidity and mortality within patients with significant congenital heart disease (CHD). For respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one of the most important pathogens, immunoprophylaxis with palivizumab has successfully been introduced. The question is which patients will benefit most from this costly preventive treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The era after the introduction of palivizumab has revealed a steep decrease in mortality. The markers of success - hospital stays, admission to the intensive care unit, days on mechanical ventilation, and death - consistently favor immunoprophylaxis. The key point of treatment success remains in all cases a careful patient selection, adherence to a time limit of 30 days between the injections and early use after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, as well as avoidance of nosocomial-acquired infections. Preventive therapy with palivizumab in patients with CHD has been investigated in terms of operating efficiency - with the lowest costs per quality-adjusted life years compared with preterm infants with or without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The burden of RSV disease will decline, once a vaccine is available. Meanwhile, immunoprophylaxis with palivizumab is a useful tool for high-risk patients to reduce comorbidity and fatal outcome. Pharmacoeconomic considerations measuring quality-adjusted life years indicate important information about cost-effectiveness.
authors: aResearch Unit for Neonatal Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. bernhard.resch@medunigraz.at
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Resch
authors: Ina
authors: I
authors: Michel-Behnke
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D000069455:Palivizumab; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000069455:Palivizumab