Analysis Finds Flu Vaccine Reduces Risk of Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations in Children

An analysis published in Pediatrics suggests that seasonal influenza vaccination “reduced the risk of related emergency department visits and hospitalizations among U.S. children both with and without underlying medical conditions.” CIDRAP has the news.

The research team, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, “analyzed data from 15,875 children aged 6 months to 17 years who presented to EDs or were admitted to hospitals across the U.S. during five flu seasons (2015 to 2020).” 2,821 (18%) of those children tested positive for flu, “and 40% of those with confirmed cases had at least one underlying medical condition, most commonly respiratory conditions such as asthma.”

Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against ED visits or hospitalizations was “43% among children with underlying conditions, compared with 53% among children without underlying conditions.” VE varied by type of condition, and protection was lowest “among children with respiratory conditions, at 31%.”

Higher VE estimates “were observed among children with endocrine conditions (64%) and neurologic or neuromuscular conditions (53%). For children with oncologic and/or immunosuppressive conditions, VE was 48%. But ‘all demonstrated significant protection,’ write the authors.”