Influenza Immunization in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants: Epidemiology and Long-Term Outcomes
Marie-Theres Dammann,
Hannah Kraft,
Guido Stichtenoth,
Kathrin Hanke,
Michael Zemlin,
Janina Soler Wenglein,
Isabell Ricklefs,
Alexander Herz,
Alexander Humberg,
Dorothee Viemann,
Geraldine Engels,
Matthias Volkmar Kopp,
Folke Brinkmann,
Carsten Fortmann-Grote,
Wolfgang Göpel,
Egbert Herting,
Christoph Härtel,
Ingmar Fortmann,
on behalf of the German Neonatal Network
Affiliations
Marie-Theres Dammann
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Hannah Kraft
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Guido Stichtenoth
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Kathrin Hanke
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Michael Zemlin
Department of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Saarland University, 66123 Homburg, Germany
Janina Soler Wenglein
Department of Pediatrics, Protestant Hospital of the Bethel Foundation, Medical School and University Medical Center East Westphalia-Lippe, Bielefeld University, 33617 Bielefeld, Germany
Isabell Ricklefs
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Alexander Herz
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Alexander Humberg
Department of General Pediatrics, University Children’s Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
Dorothee Viemann
Center for Infection Research, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
Geraldine Engels
Department of Pediatrics, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
Matthias Volkmar Kopp
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Folke Brinkmann
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Carsten Fortmann-Grote
Scientific Computing Unit, Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max-Plank-Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
Wolfgang Göpel
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Egbert Herting
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Christoph Härtel
Department of Pediatrics, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
Ingmar Fortmann
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
on behalf of the German Neonatal Network
Airway Research Center North, German Center of Lung Research (DZL), 23562 Lübeck, Germany
Background: Very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs; birth weight p = 0.002), most VLBWIs (88.0%) were unimmunized in their first influenza season. Conclusions: Influenza immunization was not associated with improved lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity) or a better neurocognitive outcome (intelligence quotient and strengths and difficulties questionnaire) at early school age. In Germany, only one quarter of 6-year-old VLBWIs were immunized against influenza, particularly those born <28 gestational weeks and/or BPD. Specific influenza immunization guidelines that define evidence-based recommendations are needed for this vulnerable group.
