# 2440
In this week's issue of Pediatrics we get the results of a two-year study of 2,500 children - some who were vaccinated against seasonal influenza, and some who were not.
The results showed that vaccinated kids, even in years with a sub-optimal vaccine match, experienced a 50% reduction in their incidence of laboratory confirmed influenza.
The study:
Vaccine Effectiveness Against Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza in Children 6 to 59 Months of Age During the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 Influenza Seasons
Katherine W. Eisenberg, BAa, Peter G. Szilagyi, MD, MPHb, Gerry Fairbrother, PhD, MPHc, Marie R. Griffin, MD, MPHd,e, Mary Staat, MD, MPHf, Laura P. Shone, DrPH, MSWb,g, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, MDb, Caroline B. Hall, MDb,h, Katherine A. Poehling, MD, MPHi,j, Kathryn M. Edwards, MDk, Geraldine Lofthus, PhDh, Susan G. Fisher, PhDa, Carolyn B. Bridges, MDl, Marika K. Iwane, PhD, MPHl and the New Vaccine Surveillance Network
ABSTRACT (excerpts):
OBJECTIVE. The goal was to estimate the effectiveness of influenza vaccination against laboratory-confirmed influenza during the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 influenza seasons in children 6 to 59 months of age.
<snip>
RESULTS. We enrolled 288 case subjects and 744 control subjects during the 2003–2004 season and 197 case subjects and 1305 control subjects during the 2004–2005 season. Six percent and 19% of all study children were fully vaccinated according to immunization guidelines in the respective seasons. Full vaccination was associated with significantly fewer influenza-related inpatient, emergency department, or outpatient clinic visits in 2004–2005 (vaccine effectiveness: 57%) but not in 2003–2004 (vaccine effectiveness: 44%). Partial vaccination was not effective in either season.
CONCLUSIONS. Receipt of all recommended doses of influenza vaccine was associated with halving of laboratory-confirmed influenza-related medical visits
USA Today has an article on this study, excepted below:
Study Backs Up Flu Shot Advice for Kids
Posted on: Monday, 3 November 2008, 06:00 CST
By Liz Szabo
New research confirms the benefits of vaccinating children against respiratory diseases.
In a study in today's Pediatrics, doctors found that flu shots can keep kids out of the doctor's office, even when that season's vaccines aren't a perfect match for viruses in the community.
In a two-year study of 2,500 children ages 6 months to 5 years, those who were fully vaccinated had half as many flu-related medical visits. Children under 9 need two shots -- given one month apart -- to be fully vaccinated. Older kids need just a single shot. Researchers found that "partly" vaccinated children got no protection.
