[Prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infection by SYNAGIS (palivizumab)].

Abstract

Infection with respiratory syncytial virus is frequent but most often benign. The serious forms of the illness, which make necessary hospitalisation or care in an intensive Care Unit, appear in infants of less than 6 weeks and especially in those with underlying pathologies, prematurity, congenital cardiopathies or chronic respiratory illnesses. Palivizumab (SYNAGIS) is mouse humanized monoclonal antibody which is used for prevention by monthly injections before and during the epidemic period. In a pivotal study performed on 1502 infants aged less than 6 months and former prematures of less than 36 weeks gestational age (GA) or aged less than 2 years and preventing a bronchopulmonary dysplasia, 1002 infants received 5 monthly injections, compared with 500 infants treated with placebo. There was a significant reduction of 55% risk of hospitalisation with VRS infections in the treated group, but no significant reduction in the number of stays in intensive care or deaths. The recommendation in France now is to use SYNAGIS in children aged less than 6 months, born with or GA of less then 32 weeks or aged less than 2 years and presenting a bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Questions remain on the cost-benefit ratio of this treatment and the favourable effects of this treatment in children who carry other chronic pulmonary or cardiac pathologies.

• Authors: I Pin, C Pilenko, M Bost
• Journal: Allergie et immunologie (Allerg Immunol (Paris)) Vol. 34 Issue 10 Pg. 371-4 (Dec 2002) ISSN: 0397-9148 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Prévention de l'infection à virus respiratoire syncytial (VRS) par le SYNAGIS (palivizumab).
• PMID: 12575622 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antibodies, Viral
• Viral Proteins
• Palivizumab

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (therapeutic use)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antibodies, Viral (therapeutic use)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Cystic Fibrosis (complications)
• Disease Susceptibility
• Drug Costs
• France
• Heart Defects, Congenital (complications)
• Hospitalization (economics, statistics & numerical data)
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Infant, Premature
• Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
• Lung Diseases (complications)
• Mice
• Palivizumab
• Practice Guidelines as Topic
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections (economics, epidemiology, etiology, prevention & control)
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human (immunology)
• Treatment Outcome
• Viral Proteins (immunology)