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Moderate-preterm infants similar RSV risk as healthy counterparts
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The more restrictive age thresholds for respiratory synyctial virus immunoprophylaxis are supported by the age when moderate-preterm infants show hospitalization risk, which is similar to their healthy counterparts, according to recent study findings published in JAMA Pediatrics.
The retrospective cohort study included 247,566 infants aged 0 to 12 months with a sibling younger than 5 years born in Florida or Texas between 1999 and 2004. Participants were split into two groups: moderate-preterm infants (32-34 weeks’ gestational age) or term infants (37-41 week’s gestational age).
During the study period, there were 5,322 RSV hospitalizations. Participants who were preterm had a double risk of hospitalization in Florida (OR=2.41; 95% CI, 1.85-3.12) and Texas (OR=1.94; 95% CI, 1.64-2.30). There were 1,322 hospitalizations in Florida for a rate of 6.2 per 100 patient-years for the term group and 13.5 per 100 patient-years for the moderate-preterm group. Texas had 4,000 hospitalizations for a rate of 9.4 per 100 patient-years for the term group and 17.7 per 100 patient-years for the moderate-preterm group.
The preterm group had a similar risk of hospitalization as term infants aged 1 month at age 4.2 months (95% CI, 2.5-5.7) in Florida and 4.5 months (95% CI, 2.8-6.4) in Texas.
“Age has a strong effect on RSV hospitalization risk in both term and preterm infants,” the researchers wrote. “The age at which moderate-preterm infants showed RSV hospitalization risk similar to their healthy term counterparts supports the AAP’s decision to lower the age threshold for RSV immunoprophylaxis. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings and investigate the age-dependent risk of RSV hospitalization in other RSV risk groups.”
Disclosure: The study was funded in part by the Florida Agency of Healthcare Administration and in collaboration with the Florida Center for Medicaid.
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