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. 2019 May;13(3):233-239.
doi: 10.1111/irv.12633. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Impact of influenza on hospitalization rates in children with a range of chronic lung diseases

Nusrat Homaira  1   2 , Nancy Briggs  3 , Ju-Lee Oei  1   4 , Lisa Hilder  1   5 , Barbara Bajuk  6 , Tom Snelling  7   8   9   10 , Georgina M Chambers  1   5   11 , Adam Jaffe  1   2
Affiliations

Impact of influenza on hospitalization rates in children with a range of chronic lung diseases

Nusrat Homaira et al. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2019 May.

Abstract

Background: Data on burden of severe influenza in children with a range of chronic lung diseases (CLDs) remain limited.

Method: We performed a cohort study to estimate burden of influenza-associated hospitalization in children with CLDs using population-based linked data. The cohort comprised all children in New South Wales, Australia, born between 2001 and 2010 and was divided into five groups, children with: (a) severe asthma; (b) bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); (c) cystic fibrosis (CF); (d) other congenital/chronic lung conditions; and (e) children without CLDs. Incidence rates and rate ratios for influenza-associated hospitalization were calculated for 2001-2011. Average cost/episode of hospitalization was estimated using public hospital cost weights.

Results: Our cohort comprised 888 157 children; 11 058 (1.2%) had one of the CLDs. The adjusted incidence/1000 child-years of influenza-associated hospitalization in children with CLDs was 3.9 (95% CI: 2.6-5.2) and 0.7 (95% CI: 0.5-0.9) for children without. The rate ratio was 5.4 in children with CLDs compared to children without. The adjusted incidence/1000 child-years (95% CI) in children with severe asthma was 1.1 (0.6-1.6), with BPD was 6.0 (3.7-8.3), with CF was 7.4 (2.6-12.1), and with other congenital/chronic lung conditions was 6.9 (4.9-8.9). The cost/episode (95% CI) of influenza-associated hospitalization was AUD 19 704 (95% CI: 11 715-27 693) for children with CLDs compared to 4557 (95% CI: 4129-4984) for children without.

Discussion: This large population-based study suggests a significant healthcare burden associated with influenza in children with a range of CLDs.

Keywords: chronic lung diseases; influenza burden; pediatrics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Annual incidence/1000 child‐years of influenza‐associated hospitalization in children with and without chronic lung diseases, 2001‐2011, NSW, Australia
Figure 2
Figure 2
Length of stay for influenza‐associated hospitalization in the cohort children, 2001‐2011, NSW, Australia
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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