Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Development of an IFN-γ ELISpot Assay to Assess Varicella-Zoster Virus-specific Cell-mediated Immunity Following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation
08:04

Development of an IFN-γ ELISpot Assay to Assess Varicella-Zoster Virus-specific Cell-mediated Immunity Following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation

Published on: July 9, 2014

Effectiveness of palivizumab prophylaxis in infants and children in Florida

Almut G Winterstein1, Christian Hampp, Arwa Saidi

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Almut@cop.ufl.edu

Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
|September 16, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Palivizumab significantly reduced severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalizations in a real-world setting. The protective effect of this RSV immunization may last longer than current dosing guidelines suggest.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Immunization effectiveness
  • Public health research

Background:

  • Existing data on palivizumab effectiveness for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are primarily from clinical trials and vary across high-risk populations.
  • There is a need to evaluate palivizumab's real-world effectiveness in a broader, community-based setting.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effectiveness of palivizumab in preventing RSV-related hospitalizations within a community-based sample of high-risk children.
  • To compare palivizumab use (first, subsequent, and former) against non-use in a Medicaid population.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study was conducted using Florida Medicaid data (1998-2004) of children with continuous eligibility.
  • Children were followed from the start of the RSV season until age two, or earlier if hospitalized, lost eligibility, or died.
  • Cox regression models were used to compare palivizumab exposure (defined by dosing schedule) with non-use, adjusting for confounders and using non-RSV hospitalizations as a secondary endpoint.

Main Results:

  • Palivizumab use was associated with reduced hazard ratios for RSV hospitalizations: 0.89 for first use, 0.56 for subsequent use, and 0.71 for former use.
  • Hazard ratios for hospitalizations due to non-RSV infections indicated residual confounding for first-use but not for subsequent or former use.
  • These findings suggest that palivizumab provides significant protection against severe RSV disease in a community setting.

Conclusions:

  • Palivizumab demonstrated effectiveness in reducing severe RSV infections in a community-based cohort, with results comparable to clinical trial efficacy estimates.
  • The observed protection suggests that the benefits of palivizumab may extend beyond the standard monthly dosing interval.
  • This study supports the use of palivizumab for preventing severe RSV disease in eligible pediatric populations.
Abstract

More Related Videos

An Improved and High Throughput Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Micro-neutralization Assay09:14

An Improved and High Throughput Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Micro-neutralization Assay

Published on: January 26, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease01:29

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread pathogen that primarily targets infants and young children but also poses a serious health risk to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, RSV is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus within the Pneumovirus genus. Its global health burden is significant, with millions of cases annually resulting in hospitalizations and mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although most...
Poliomyelitis01:17

Poliomyelitis

Poliomyelitis is caused by poliovirus, a small, non-enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family and Enterovirus genus. Transmission occurs primarily via the fecal-oral route, often through ingestion of contaminated water or food. The virus initially replicates in the oropharynx and intestinal mucosa, particularly in lymphoid tissues such as the tonsils, Peyer’s patches, and regional lymph nodes. Primary viremia follows, allowing dissemination throughout the body.In most...
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Vaccinations01:51

Vaccinations

Overview
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
Influenza01:27

Influenza

Influenza is an acute, highly communicable viral disease that affects the respiratory tract and is responsible for seasonal epidemics worldwide. Influenza A is the most prevalent type associated with widespread outbreaks and is subtyped based on two surface glycoproteins: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), as in H1N1. These glycoproteins are essential for viral infectivity, transmission, and immune recognition. Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets and contaminated...