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Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prophylaxis for Premature Infants: Insights from a Multicenter Out-of-Season Study
  • +16
  • Keren Armoni Domany ,
  • Avigdor Mandelberg,
  • Nitzan Burrack,
  • Inbal Golan-Tripto,
  • Kamal Masarweh,
  • Michal Gur,
  • Mika Rochman,
  • Moria Be’er,
  • Dario Prais,
  • Merav Mor,
  • Moran Weinberger Opek,
  • Elias Nasrallah,
  • Orli Megged,
  • Rachel Shatzman Steuerman,
  • Michal Stein,
  • Zohar Steinberg,
  • Shereen Shehadeh,
  • Aharona Glatman-Freedman,
  • Diana Tasher
Keren Armoni Domany
Edith Wolfson Medical Center
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Avigdor Mandelberg
Edith Wolfson Medical Center
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Nitzan Burrack
Soroka Medical Center
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Inbal Golan-Tripto
Soroka Medical Center
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Kamal Masarweh
Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital
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Michal Gur
Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital
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Mika Rochman
Tel Aviv University
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Moria Be’er
Tel Aviv University
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Dario Prais
Tel Aviv University
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Merav Mor
Tel Aviv University
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Moran Weinberger Opek
Assuta Ashdod Hospital
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Elias Nasrallah
Nazareth Hospital
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Orli Megged
Shaare Zedek City Center Campus
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Rachel Shatzman Steuerman
Tel Aviv University
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Michal Stein
Tel Aviv University
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Zohar Steinberg
Technion Israel Institute of Technology The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine
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Shereen Shehadeh
Technion Israel Institute of Technology The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine
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Aharona Glatman-Freedman
Tel Aviv University
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Diana Tasher
Edith Wolfson Medical Center

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

Objective: To elucidate the impact of lack of Palivizumab administration during off-season RSV periods on the RSV-related hospitalization among 29-34 weeks of gestational age (wGA) preterm infants. We utilized the summer of 2021 off-season RSV surge during the COVID19 pandemic. Methods: This multi-center retrospective observational study was conducted in 11 medical centers across Israel. We included infants > 1 year-old hospitalized with RSV infection between November 2017-August 2021. Patients were categorized into an in-season admissions group (November-March) and off-season admissions group (April-October). The primary outcome was the proportion of RSV hospitalizations among 29-34wGA infants in relation to total RSV admissions during the same season. Secondary outcomes included clinical severity parameters. Results A total of 3,296 infants were admitted during the RSV season, and 1,044 during the off-season. The proportion of 29-34wGA preemies was significantly higher in the off-season group compared to the in-season group (7% vs 2.1%, p<0.001). In the off-season group, we observed a significantly higher proportion of Jewish individuals (80.1% vs. 59.2%, p=0.001) and higher socioeconomic status (55.1% vs. 45.1%, p<0.001) compared to the in-season group. In the multivariable logistic-regression model, off-season hospitalization odds for 29-34 wGA preemies were significantly higher (2.6-fold, 95% CI:1.8-3.9, p<0.001) compared to in-season, irrespective of demographic covariates. Similar clinical severity parameters was observed between the groups. Conclusions Our results revealed a significantly higher proportion of infants born at 29-34 wGA among those hospitalized during off-season periods compared to in-season periods. These findings highlight the importance of including 29-34 wGA infants into future RSV immunoprophylaxis recommendations.
21 Sep 2024Submitted to Pediatric Pulmonology
27 Sep 2024Submission Checks Completed
27 Sep 2024Assigned to Editor
27 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
31 Oct 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned