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Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and Pneumonia Prevention in Children with Congenital Heart Disease
Fortino Solórzano-Santos1, Lilia Espinoza-García2, Glorinella Aguilar-Martínez3
1Evidence-based Medicine Research Unit, Hospital Infantil de México, "Federico Gómez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico.
Insights
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) significantly reduce pneumonia risk in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Two or more PCV doses are effective in preventing all-cause pneumonia, with a number needed to vaccinate of just 5.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Vaccinology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae infections pose a significant threat, particularly to vulnerable populations.
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are a key strategy for preventing pneumococcal disease.
- Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) may have increased susceptibility to infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of 7- and 13-valent PCVs in preventing all-cause pneumonia.
- To assess the impact of PCV vaccination schedules on pneumonia incidence in children with CHD.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 348 children younger than 5 years with CHD.
- Vaccination history confirmed via verifiable records; outcome was all-cause pneumonia or bronchopneumonia.
- Inferential statistics, including Chi-square and Fisher's exact test, were used for analysis.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in pneumonia events was observed in the vaccinated group (26/196) compared to the unvaccinated group (51/152) (p < 0.001).
- Relative risk reduction was 60.5%, and absolute risk reduction was 20.3%.
- The number needed to vaccinate to prevent one pneumonia event was 5 children.
Conclusions:
- At least two doses of PCV effectively reduce the risk of all-cause pneumonia in children with CHD.
- PCV vaccination is a crucial intervention for this high-risk pediatric population.
Background:
A successful strategy to prevent Streptococcus pneumoniae infections is the administration of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).
Objective:
To analyze the effectiveness of the 7- and 13-valent PCV for the prevention of all-cause pneumonia.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective cohort of children younger than 5 years of age, with congenital heart disease (CHD) and different vaccination schedules, was analyzed. History of vaccination was confirmed with verifiable records. The outcome measure was all-cause pneumonia or bronchopneumonia. Protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board. For comparisons, we used inferential statistics with Chi-square and Fisher's exact test; a p ≤ 0.5 was considered statistically significant. Relative and absolute risks reduction and number needed to treat were also calculated.
Results:
A total of 348 patients were included: 196 with two or more doses of PCV (considered the vaccinated group), and 152 in the unvaccinated group. There was a statistically significant difference for pneumonia events (p < 0.001) between the vaccinated (26/196) and unvaccinated (51/152) groups. The relative risk reduction was 60.5%, and the absolute risk reduction, 20.3%. There were no differences between patients who received two, three or four doses. The number needed to vaccinate to prevent one event of pneumonia was 5 children.
Conclusions:
At least two doses of PCV in children with CHD reduced the risk of all-cause pneumonia.
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