From: Burden of paediatric influenza in Western Europe: a systematic review
Reference | Study design | Study settings Children age | Sample | Study qualitya Study limitations/bias | Type of data |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Finland | |||||
Heikkinen et al., 2004 [35] | Prospective, observational study of respiratory infections in community-based children. | Community (day care centres, family day care, and schools); | 2,231 child-seasons, | 1b: prospective cohort study; | Resource use, absenteeism |
382 episodes of culture-confirmed influenza were documented | |||||
Only winter months were evaluated. | |||||
Study seasons: 9 October 2000 — 20 May 2001 and 1 October 2001 — 19 May 2002. | ≤ 13 years. | ||||
Follow-up: not specified. | |||||
Heinonen et al., 2010 [42] | Randomised, double-blind, controlled trial comparing oseltamivir with placebo for clinical efficacy in children with influenza. | Community; | 1,185 children were recruited in the community prior to influenza seasons; among those,409 children with fever or respiratory infection who attended the study clinic were randomised to either intervention or placebo; among those,98 (24.7%) children had laboratory-confirmed influenza | 1b: randomised, controlled trial; | Resource use, absenteeism. |
1-3 years | |||||
Not a population- based study;b | |||||
Broad exclusion criteria prior to enrolment in the trial. | |||||
Study seasons: 2 local influenza circulation seasons (14 January — 9 April 2008 and 7 January — 26 March 2009). | |||||
Follow-up: 21 days. | |||||
France | |||||
Ploin et al., 2003 [43] | Prospective, observational study in a paediatric ED of a university hospital. | Paediatric ED; | 304 infants consecutively enrolled during influenza peak | 2b: prospective cohort study with poor follow-up; | Resource use, absenteeism |
≤ 11 months. | |||||
99 (33%) with confirmed influenza. | Not a population- based study. | ||||
Study season: 4 weeks of local influenza epidemic peak (weeks 3-6 in 2002). | |||||
Follow-up: 15 days. | |||||
Ploin et al., 2007 [36] | Prospective, observational study in a paediatric ED of a university hospital. | Paediatric ED; | 575 children consecutively enrolled during influenza peak | 2b: prospective cohort study with poor follow-up; | Resource use, absenteeism |
< 36 months. | |||||
283 (49%) with confirmed influenza. | Not a population- based study. | ||||
Study season: 4 weeks of local influenza epidemic peak (weeks 3-6 in 2002). | |||||
Follow-up: 15 days. | |||||
Sanni et al., 2004 [44] | Prospective, observational survey of hospitalised children. | Hospital; | 114 nasal swabs collected; among those – 59 (51.8%) with confirmed influenza. | 1b: prospective cohort study; | Resource use. |
≤ 15 years. | |||||
Not a population- based study. | |||||
Study season: 37 days of local influenza epidemic (1 January — 6 February 2002). | |||||
Follow-up: not specified. | |||||
Germany | |||||
Ehlken et al., 2005 [45] | Cost-of-illness analysis of a prospective, multi-centre, population-based epidemiological study on the impact of LRTI in children. | Office-based PCP and hospitals; | 3,458 cases with LRTI, including 1,329 office based cases, 2,039 hospitalized cases, and 90 nosocomial cases. | 2c: outcomes research; | Cost (direct and indirect).c |
Not a population- based study; | |||||
≤ 36 months. | |||||
Limited to children with LRTI; | |||||
Costs were imputed based on existing standards. | |||||
Study period: 2 years (1 November 1999 — 31 October 2001). | |||||
Follow-up: not specified. | |||||
Italy | |||||
Bosis et al., 2005 [46] | Prospective, observational, single-centre study of children enrolled at an ED, comparing the impact of confirmed influenza and RSV with hMPV. | ED; | All children (n = 1,505) attending the ED on Wednesdays and Sundays. | 1b: prospective cohort study; | Resource use, absenteeism. |
< 15 years. | |||||
Not a population- based study. | |||||
Of these, 1,019 children had evidence of acute respiratory infection. | |||||
Influenza was confirmed by PCR in 230 (15.3%) of total cases; among these, 7 cases were co-infected with RSV or hMPV. | |||||
Study season: 5 months (1 November 2002 — 31 March 2003). | |||||
Follow-up: not specified. | |||||
Esposito et al., 2005 [47] | Prospective, observational, single-centre study of children admitted to an ED, comparing the impact of confirmed influenza and RSV. | ED; | 1,520 children attending ED for acute conditions other than trauma on Wednesdays and Sundays; | 1b: prospective cohort study; | Resource use, absenteeism |
< 15 years. | |||||
Not a population- based study. | |||||
234 (15.4%) with confirmed influenza. | |||||
Study season: 5 months (1 November 2002 — 31 March 2003). | |||||
Follow-up: not specified. | |||||
Esposito et al., 2011 [37] | Prospective, observational study of children presenting to PCP with ILI | PCP | PCPs continuously followed 21,986 community children | 1b: prospective cohort study with good follow-up | Resource use, absenteeism, cost (direct and indirect) |
< 14 years | |||||
6,988 children with ILI presented to PCPs | Costs were imputed based on existing standards | ||||
Study season: 6 months (1 November 2008 —30 April 2009) | 2,143 (30.7%) children had confirmed influenza | ||||
Follow-up: not specified | |||||
Principi et al., 2003 [48] | Prospective, observational, multi-centre study. | ED and PCP; | 3,771 children with ILI; among those | 1b: prospective cohort study; | Resource use, absenteeism |
< 14 years. | |||||
352 (9.3%) with confirmed influenza, including 260 (8.7%) of 2,970 children seen in EDs and 92 (11.5%) of 801 children seen by PCPs | Not a population- based study. | ||||
Principi et al., 2004 [38] | Study season: 6 months (1 November 2001 — 30 April 2002). | ||||
Follow-up: not specified. | |||||
The Netherlands | |||||
Bueving et al., 2004 [49] | Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing inactivated vaccine with placebo for clinical efficacy in children with asthma. | Community; | 696 children with asthma enrolled through PCP offices prior to influenza seasons’ start. | 1b: individual randomised, controlled trial; | HRQoL. |
6-18 years. | |||||
Limited to children with asthma. | |||||
Study seasons: 2 influenza seasons (1999 — 2000 and 2000 — 2001). | |||||
Follow-up: not specified. | |||||
Van Der Zalm, et al., 2009 [50] | Prospective birth cohort study, a part of a prospective, ongoing population-based birth cohort study on determinants of wheezing illness. | Community; | 305 healthy full-term infants (2-3 weeks old); | 2b: individual cohort study. | Resource use. |
 |  | ≤ 1 year. |  |  |  |
 |  |  | 668 samples positively tested for any respiratory virus; |  |  |
 |  |  | 18 (2.7%) samples with influenza virus. |  |  |
 | Study duration: October 2003 — September 2006. |  |  |  |  |
 | Follow-up: until infants reached 1 year of age. |  |  |  |  |