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Influenza vaccine effectively treats obese children
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Influenza vaccine was effective among a cohort of obese children, a population that tends to have longer duration of illness when infected, according to recent research in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
“In this analysis of school-aged children, we found that influenza vaccine protected obese and nonobese children against PCR-confirmed influenza,” Michael A. Smit, MD, MSPH, of the division of infectious diseases at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Rhode Island, and colleagues wrote.
Michael A. Smit
The researchers retrospectively analyzed data from a previously conducted study that contained data related to school-located influenza vaccination programs. Specifically, BMI, vaccination status and laboratory-confirmed influenza data were used to determine the effectiveness of influenza vaccine among 4,260 elementary school children, including 1,191 classified as obese.
Study results showed that unvaccinated obese children were three times more likely to become infected with influenza vs. vaccinated children regardless of BMI (RR = 3; 95% CI, 1.8-4.9). Unvaccinated obese children also missed more school days during influenza season than vaccinated obese children (4.6 vs. 3.2 days per 100 school days; P < .001).
The researchers wrote that obese children with influenza were more likely to have a cough (86.2% vs. 72.4%; P = .03) and missed more school days due to influenza than nonobese children (2.4 vs. 1.9 days; P = .023). Influenza rates, however, were not significantly different between obese and nonobese children.
“Although obese children were not at increased risk for influenza infection in our study, they did suffer from more cough and a longer duration of illness when they were infected,” Smit and colleagues wrote. “Yearly vaccination is the most effective defense against infection and subsequent complications of influenza disease in obese children.” – by David Costill
Disclosure: Smit reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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