title: Palivizumab prophylaxis: does it have any influence on the growth and development of the infants?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the rehospitalization rates of premature infants who received palivizumab prophylaxis and its influence on the growth and development of these infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infants with a gestational age of less than 32 weeks were randomized to receive prophylaxis with palivizumab (study group) or nothing (control group). Nasal swab samples were obtained monthly in all cases and also in case of infection and hospitalization. At the corrected age of 18 months Guide for Monitoring Child Development (GMCD) was administered to all patients and anthropometric indices were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study was completed with 39 infants in the study group and 40 infants in the control group. Incidence of hospitalization due to respiratory syncitial virus (RSV) was found to be significantly lower in the study group both at the year of prophylaxis and in the following year (p = 0.001, odds ratio 1.32 [1.11-1.57]). There were no significant differences in terms of anthropometric indices or GMCD tests between the groups at the corrected age of 18 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Palivizumab reduced the incidence of lower respiratory tract infections and hospitalizations due to RSV both in the year of prophylaxis and in the following year. However, this decrease did not have any impact on the development of infants.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrician, Department of Pediatrics, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tavsu
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor of Neonatology, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tugba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gursoy
authors.affiliation: Child Development Specalist, Department of Pediatrics, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sukriye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dirman
authors.affiliation: Pediatrician, Department of Pediatrics, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erbil
authors.affiliation: Professor of Neonatology, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fahri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ovali
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002508:Cephalometry; D018890:Chemoprevention; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006257:Head / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D000069455:Palivizumab; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000069455:Palivizumab