Hospital admissions for lower respiratory tract infections among infants in the Canadian Arctic: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether this burden of disease of lower respiratory tract infections is comparable across the Canadian Arctic. The objectives of this surveillance study were to compare the rates of hospital admission for lower respiratory tract infection and the severity of infection across Arctic Canada, and to describe the responsible viruses. METHODS: We performed a prospective multicentre surveillance study of infants less than 1 year of age admitted in 2009 with lower respiratory tract infection to all hospitals (5 regional, 4 tertiary) in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Nunavik to assess for regional differences. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were processed by means of a polymerase chain reaction respiratory viral panel, testing for 20 respiratory viruses and influenza A (H1N1). The role of coinfection was assessed by means of regression analysis for length of stay (short: < 7 d; long: > 14 d). Outcomes compared included rates of lower respiratory tract infection, respiratory syncytial virus infection, transfer to tertiary hospital and severe lower respiratory tract infection (respiratory failure, intubation and mechanical ventilation, and/or cardiopulmonary resuscitation). RESULTS: There were 348 admissions for lower respiratory tract infection in the population of interest in 2009. Rates of admission per 1000 live births varied significantly, from 39 in the Northwest Territories to 456 in Nunavik (p < 0.001). The rates of tertiary admissions and severe lower respiratory tract infection per 1000 live births in the Northwest Territories were 5.6 and 1.4, respectively, compared to 55.9 and 17.1, respectively, in Nunavut and 52.0 and 20.0, respectively, in Nunavik (p ≤ 0.001). Respiratory syncytial virus was the most common virus identified (124 cases [41.6% of those tested]), and coinfection was detected in 51 cases (41.1%) of infection with this virus. Longer length of stay was associated with coinfection (odds ratio [OR] 2.64) and underlying risk factors (OR 4.39). Length of stay decreased by 32.2% for every 30-day increase in age (OR 0.68). INTERPRETATION: Nunavut and Nunavik have very elevated rates of lower respiratory tract infection, with severe outcomes. Respiratory syncytial virus was the most common virus identified, and coinfection was associated with longer length of stay. Targeted public health interventions are required to reduce the burden of disease for infants residing in these Arctic regions.

The real-life effectiveness of palivizumab for reducing hospital admissions for respiratory syncytial virus in infants residing in Nunavut.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVE: Nunavut has the highest hospitalization rates for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) worldwide, with rates of 166 per 1000 live births per year <1 year of age. Palivizumab was implemented in Nunavut primarily for premature infants, or those with hemodynamically significant cardiac or chronic lung disease; however, the effectiveness of the program is unknown. The objective of the present multisite, hospital-based surveillance study was to estimate the effectiveness of palivizumab in infants <6 months of age in Nunavut for the 2009 and 2010 RSV seasons. METHODS: Infants identified as palivizumab candidates who were <6 months of age were compared with all admissions for lower respiratory tract infection through multisite, hospital-based surveillance documenting the adequacy of palivizumab prophylaxis, admission for lower respiratory tract infection and the results of RSV testing. The OR for RSV admission in unprophylaxed infants was compared with those who were prophylaxed, and the effectiveness of palivizumab was estimated. RESULTS: Within the study cohort (n=101) during the two RSV seasons, five of the 10 eligible infants who did not receive adequate prophylaxis were admitted with RSV while two of the 91 infants <6 months of age eligible for palivizumab who were adequately prophylaxed were hospitalized with RSV (OR 22.3 [95% CI 3.8 to 130]; P=0.0005). The estimated effectiveness of palivizumab for the cohort was as high as 96%. Eight eligible infants were missed by the program and did not receive prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: Palivizumab was highly effective in reducing hospitalizations due to RSV infection in Nunavut. Further efforts need to be made to ensure that all eligible infants are identified.

A patient-centric, Internet-based application for the data management of a multi-centre respiratory syncytial virus prophylaxis program.

The success of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prophylaxis programs is partially dependent upon meticulous tracking of at risk infants, and excellent data management. We designed and built an integrated, shared, user-driven but infant-centric data management application that enables an infants healthcare provider to determine an infants RSV prophylaxis status throughout the RSV season. The security and confidentiality of each infants information is protected by rigorous integrity constraints that have been integrated into the database schema.