Cost-effectiveness of omalizumab for the treatment of severe pediatric allergic asthma-Results of a real-life study in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Severe pediatric allergic asthma (SPAA) induces a huge economic burden in terms of direct, indirect, and intangible costs. The use of omalizumab for the treatment of these patients has produced a significant improvement in several clinical outcomes, but at the same time, the cost for the management of the disease has also increased. The aim of this report was to evaluate whether the use of omalizumab is cost-effective. METHODS: A sample of 426 children with SPAA from the ANCHORS (Asthma iN CHildren: Omalizumab in Real-life in Spain) study was used to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the avoidance of moderate-to-severe exacerbations (MSE) and also for the improvement in childhood Asthma Control Test (c-ACT) or the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ5). We retrospectively collected data on health encounters and drug consumption before and up to 6 years after the beginning of the treatment with omalizumab. RESULTS: The ICER per avoided MSE was €2107 after 1 year, and it consistently decreased to €656 in those followed up to 6 years. Similarly, the ICER for the minimally important difference in control tests showed a decrease from €2059 to €380 per each 0.5 points of improvement in ACQ5 and from €3141 to €2322 per each 3 points improvement in c-ACT, at years 1 and 6, respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of OMZ is a cost-effective option for most children with uncontrolled SPAA, especially those who have frequent exacerbations; the costs are progressively reduced in successive years of treatment.

Accuracy of Xpert Ultra for the diagnosis of paediatric tuberculosis in a low TB burden country: a prospective multicentre study.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a diagnostic challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of Xpert Ultra for the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in children in a low TB prevalence setting. METHODS: Prospective, multicentre, diagnostic accuracy study. Children with clinical or radiological suspicion of pulmonary TB were recruited at 11 paediatric units in Spain. Up to three gastric or sputum specimens were taken on 3 consecutive days, and analysed by Xpert MTB/RIF, Xpert Ultra and culture in parallel. RESULTS: 86 children were included (median age 4.9 years, IQR 2.0-10.0; 51.2% male). The final diagnosis was pulmonary TB in 75 patients (87.2%); 33 (44.0%) were microbiologically confirmed. A total of 219 specimens, comprising gastric aspirates (n=194; 88.6%) and sputum specimens (n=25; 11.4%), were analysed. Using culture as reference standard and comparing individual specimens, the sensitivity was 37.8% (14/37) for Xpert MTB/RIF and 81.1% (30/37) for Xpert Ultra (p<0.001); specificity was 98.4% (179/182) and 93.4% (170/182), respectively (p=0.02). In the per-patient analysis, considering positive results on any specimen, the sensitivity was 42.9% (9/21) for Xpert MTB/RIF and 81.0% for Xpert Ultra (17/21, p=0.01); specificity was 96.9% (63/65) and 87.7% (57/65, p=0.07), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In children with pulmonary TB in a low burden setting, Xpert Ultra has significantly higher sensitivity than the previous generation of Xpert assay and only marginally lower specificity. Therefore, in children undergoing evaluation for suspected pulmonary TB, Xpert Ultra should be used in preference to Xpert MTB/RIF whenever possible.

[Effect of pertussis vaccine in pregnancy and COVID-19 pandemic in the cases of wooping cough]. / Evolución de los casos de tosferina tras la vacunación de la embarazada y la pandemia COVID-19.

Background: Whooping cough has had an increased incidence and severity specially in infants and maternal immunization has been implemented as a prevention strategy. COVID-19 pandemic seems to decrease the incidence of other respiratory diseases. Methods: Retrospective study from 2012 to 2021 to assess the influence of pertussis maternal immunizations and the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in the cases of whooping cough. Results: 960 suspected cases from primary care and hospital, with 130 cases (104 children and 26 adults) being diagnosed of whooping cough. In the post-vaccination period, a reduction in the cases and severity in infants up to 6 months old was observed as well as in the pertussis diagnosis in adult women. There were no whooping cough cases during the COVID-19 period. Conclusions: Both the pertussis vaccination in pregnancy and the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic have decreased the number of pertussis cases.

Thoracic imaging of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children: a series of 91 cases.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; COVID-19) has rapidly spread worldwide to become a global pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To collect paediatric COVID-19 cases worldwide and to summarize both clinical and imaging findings in children who tested positive on polymerase chain reaction testing for SARS-CoV-2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected by completion of a standardised case report form submitted to the office of the European Society of Paediatric Radiology from March 12 to April 8, 2020. Chest imaging findings in children younger than 18 years old who tested positive on polymerase chain reaction testing for SARS-CoV-2 were included. Representative imaging studies were evaluated by multiple senior paediatric radiologists from this group with expertise in paediatric chest imaging. RESULTS: Ninety-one children were included (49 males; median age: 6.1 years, interquartile range: 1.0 to 13.0 years, range: 9 days-17 years). Most had mild symptoms, mostly fever and cough, and one-third had coexisting medical conditions. Eleven percent of children presented with severe symptoms and required intensive unit care. Chest radiographs were available in 89% of patients and 10% of them were normal. Abnormal chest radiographs showed mainly perihilar bronchial wall thickening (58%) and/or airspace consolidation (35%). Computed tomography (CT) scans were available in 26% of cases, with the most common abnormality being ground glass opacities (88%) and/or airspace consolidation (58%). Tree in bud opacities were seen in 6 of 24 CTs (25%). Lung ultrasound and chest magnetic resonance imaging were rarely utilized. CONCLUSION: It seems unnecessary to perform chest imaging in children to diagnose COVID-19. Chest radiography can be used in symptomatic children to assess airway infection or pneumonia. CT should be reserved for when there is clinical concern to assess for possible complications, especially in children with coexisting medical conditions.

Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Children With Nonsevere Tuberculosis in Spain.

BACKGROUND: To assess the prevalence and characteristics of nonsevere TB among children in Spain. It has been recently demonstrated that these children can be treated with a 4-month regimen instead of the classical 6-month treatment regimen, with the same effectivity and outcomes, decreasing toxicity and improving adherence. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a cohort of children ≤16 years of age with TB. Nonsevere TB cases included smear-negative children with respiratory TB confined to 1 lobe, with no significant airway obstruction, no complex pleural effusion, no cavities and no signs of miliary disease, or with peripheral lymph-node disease. The remaining children were considered to have severe TB. We estimated the prevalence of nonsevere TB and compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes between children with nonsevere and severe TB. RESULTS: A total of 780 patients were included [46.9% males, median age 5.5 years (IQR: 2.6-11.1)], 477 (61.1%) of whom had nonsevere TB. Nonsevere TB was less frequent in children <1 year (33% vs 67%; P < 0.001), and >14 years of age (35% vs 65%; P = 0.002), mostly diagnosed in contact tracing studies (60.4% vs 29.2%; P < 0.001) and more frequently asymptomatic (38.3% vs 17.7%; P < 0.001). TB confirmation in nonsevere disease was less frequent by culture (27.0% vs 57.1%; P < 0.001) and by molecular tests (18.2% vs 48.8%; P < 0.001). Sequelae were less frequent in children with nonsevere disease (1.7 vs 5.4%; P < 0.001). No child with nonsevere disease died. CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of children had nonsevere TB, mostly with benign clinical presentation and negative microbiologic results. In low-burden countries, most children with TB might benefit from short-course regimens.

Update on the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.

According to World Health Organization estimates, more than 1 million patients aged less than 15 years develop tuberculosis (TB) each year worldwide. In some regions, up to 25% of new TB cases are caused by drug-resistant strains. Although Spain is considered a low-incidence country, several hundred children and adolescents develop TB each year. The importance of paediatric TB has been minimized for years due to the lack of microbiological confirmation in many patients and because these patients are not usually contagious. Nevertheless, in the past 15 years there have been major improvements in the epidemiological reporting of TB in children and adolescents, new immunodiagnostic tests have been developed, molecular methods that allow rapid microbiological diagnosis and detection of variants associated with drug resistance have become available, novel second-line antituberculosis drugs have been discovered, including for paediatric use, and the results of clinical trials have validated shorter courses of treatment for some patients. This document, developed by a group of experts from the Sociedad Española de Infectología Pediátrica and the Sociedad Española de Neumología Pediátrica, updates and complements the previous guidelines for the diagnostic and therapeutic management of children with TB in Spain based on the newly available scientific evidence.

Adequacy of the 10 mg/kg Daily Dose of Antituberculosis Drug Isoniazid in Infants under 6 Months of Age.

In 2010, the WHO recommended an increase in the daily doses of first-line anti-tuberculosis medicines in children. We aim to characterize the pharmacokinetics of the once-daily isoniazid (INH) dose at 10 mg/kg of body weight in infants <6 months of age. We performed a multicenter pharmacokinetic study in Spain. The N-acetyltransferase 2 gene was analyzed to determine the acetylation status. Samples were analyzed using a validated UPLC-UV assay. A non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis was performed. Twenty-three pharmacokinetic profiles were performed in 20 infants (8 females) at a median (IQR) age of 19.0 (12.6-23.3) weeks. The acetylator statuses were homozygous fast (n = 1), heterozygous intermediate (n = 12), and homozygous slow (n = 7). INH median (IQR) Cmax and AUC0-24h values were 4.8 (3.7-6.7) mg/L and 23.5 (13.4-36.7) h*mg/L and the adult targets (>3 mg/L and 11.6-26.3 h*mg/L) were not reached in three and five cases, respectively. The age at assessment or acetylator status had no impact on Cmax values, but a larger INH AUC0-24h (p = 0.025) and trends towards a longer half-life (p = 0.055) and slower clearance (p = 0.070) were observed in homozygous slow acetylators. Treatment was well tolerated; mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase levels were observed in three cases. In our series of young infants receiving isoniazid, no major safety concerns were raised, and the target adult levels were reached in most patients.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cystic fibrosis: A cross-sectional multicenter study in Spain. New waves, new knowledge.

INTRODUCTION: The association between viral infections and pulmonary exacerbations in children with cystic fibrosis (cwCF) is well established. However, the question of whether cwCF are at a higher risk of COVID-19 or its adverse consequences remains controversial. METHODS: We conducted an observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study of cwCF infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) between March 2020 and June 2022, (first to sixth COVID-19 pandemic waves) in Spain. The study aimed to describe patients' basal characteristics, SARS-CoV-2 clinical manifestations and outcomes, and whether there were differences across the pandemic waves. RESULTS: During study time, 351 SARS-CoV2 infections were reported among 341 cwCF. Median age was 8.5 years (range 0-17) and 51% were female. Cases were unevenly distributed across the pandemic, with most cases (82%) clustered between November 2021 and June 2022 (sixth wave, also known as Omicron Wave due to the higher prevalence of this strain in that period in Spain). Most cwCF were asymptomatic (24.8%) or presented with mild Covid-19 symptoms (72.9%). Among symptomatic, most prevalent symptoms were fever (62%) and increased cough (53%). Infection occurring along the sixth wave was the only independent risk factor for being symptomatic. Just eight cwCF needed hospital admission. No multisystem inflammatory syndrome, persisting symptoms, long-term sequelae, or deaths were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Spanish current data indicate that cwCF do not experience higher risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection nor worse health outcomes or sequelae. Changes in patients' basal characteristics, clinical courses, and outcomes were detected across waves. While the pandemic continues, a worldwide monitoring of COVID-19 in pediatric CF patients is needed.

Effect of pertussis vaccine in pregnancy and COVID-19 pandemic in the cases of wooping cough.

BACKGROUND: Whooping cough has had an increased incidence and severity specially in infants and maternal immunization has been implemented as a prevention strategy. COVID-19 pandemic seems to decrease the incidence of other respiratory diseases. METHODS: Retrospective study from 2012 to 2021 to assess the influence of pertussis maternal immunizations and the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in the cases of whooping cough. RESULTS: 960 suspected cases from primary care and hospital, with 130 cases (104 children and 26 adults) being diagnosed of whooping cough. In the post-vaccination period, a reduction in the cases and severity in infants up to 6 months old was observed as well as in the pertussis diagnosis in adult women. There were no whooping cough cases during the COVID-19 period. CONCLUSIONS: Both the pertussis vaccination in pregnancy and the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic have decreased the number of pertussis cases.

Advanced imaging tools for childhood tuberculosis: potential applications and research needs.

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death globally that is due to a single pathogen, and up to a fifth of patients with tuberculosis in high-incidence countries are children younger than 16 years. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis is challenging because the disease is often paucibacillary and it is difficult to obtain suitable specimens, causing poor sensitivity of currently available pathogen-based tests. Chest radiography is important for diagnostic evaluations because it detects abnormalities consistent with childhood tuberculosis, but several limitations exist in the interpretation of such results. Therefore, other imaging methods need to be systematically evaluated in children with tuberculosis, although current data suggest that when available, cross-sectional imaging, such as CT, should be considered in the diagnostic evaluation for tuberculosis in a symptomatic child. Additionally, much of the understanding of childhood tuberculosis stems from clinical specimens that might not accurately represent the lesional biology at infection sites. By providing non-invasive measures of lesional biology, advanced imaging tools could enhance the understanding of basic biology and improve on the poor sensitivity of current pathogen detection systems. Finally, there are key knowledge gaps regarding the use of imaging tools for childhood tuberculosis that we outlined in this Personal View, in conjunction with a proposed roadmap for future research.

[Real-world effectiveness of ivacaftor in children with cystic fibrosis and the G551D mutation]. / Efectividad de ivacaftor en vida real en niños con fibrosis quística y mutación G551D.

INTRODUCTION: Ivacaftor is a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) potentiator that has been shown to improve the nutritional status and lung function of cystic fibrosis patients with the G551D mutation in clinical trials. The objective of this study was to describe the real-world progress of children receiving ivacaftor. METHODS: We describe the real-world progress of four children with cystic fibrosis and the F508del/G551D genotype comparing data during ivacaftor treatment with baseline and with the year before commencing treatment. RESULTS: Our sample comprised 4 children aged between 6 and 14 years and including one with a recent diagnosis of CF and other with persistent Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) and recurrent allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. The baseline FEV1 was 58.5% to 81.8% of the predicted value, and ivacaftor was taken for a mean 24 months (range, 12-30 months). All patients experienced a significant and sustained improvement in lung function. Compared to baseline, the weight z-score improved by 1.53 points, and the BMI z-score by 1.6 points. Compared to the year before starting ivacaftor, the frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolates decreased (-0.4/patient/year), as did the number of respiratory exacerbations (-1.8/patient/year). The weight-adjusted dose of lipase per kilogram decreased progressively in all patients. In 1 patient, a previously persistent M. abscessus infection and recurrent allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis resolved during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Children with cystic fibrosis and the F508del/G551D genotype receiving treatment with ivacaftor experienced a real-world improvement in lung function, nutritional status, respiratory exacerbations, isolation of P. aeruginosa, and dose of pancreatic enzymes.