Vaccination coverage of children with rare genetic diseases and attitudes of their parents toward vaccines

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in children with rare genetic diseases and healthy controls.

Characteristic	Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (n = 15)	Sotos syndrome (n = 14)	Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (n = 28)	Healthy controls (n = 57)
Age of the patients, years
Median (range)	8 (1–17)	7.6 (1–17)	7.0 (1–17)	7.6 (1–17)
Gender of the parents, n. (%)
Males	8 (53.3)	8 (57.1)	11 (39.2)	27 (47.4)
Ethnicity, n. (%)
Caucasian	15 (100.0)	13 (92.8)	26 (92.8)	54 (94.7)
Other	0 (0.0)	1 (7.1)	2 (7.21)	3 (5.3)
Gender of the parent who filled the questionnaire, n. (%)	14 (93.3)	13 (92.8)	22 (78.5)	52 (91.2)
Females	14 (93.3)	13 (92.8)	22 (78.5)	52 (91.2)
Age of the parent who filled the questionnaire, years
Median (range)	41 (25–52)	41 (32–48)	40.5 (29–53)	41 (27–52)
Educational level of the parent who filled the questionnaire, n. (%)
Middle school	3 (20.0)	3 (21.4)	3 (10.7)	10 (17.5)
High school	8 (53.3)	5 (35.8)	16 (51.2)	29 (50.9)
University	4 (26.7)	6 (42.8)	9 (32.1)	18 (31.6)
Offsprings in the family
Median (range)	2 (1–3)	2 (1–3)	2 (1–3)	2 (0–3)

No significant differences between groups.

Table 2. Vaccination coverage and timeliness of vaccine administration in children with rare genetic diseases and healthy controls.

Vaccination coverage	Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (n = 15)	Sotos syndrome (n = 14)	Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (n = 28)	Healthy controls (n = 57)
Hexavalent vaccine
Vaccinated subjects, n. (%)	10 (80.0)^1	11 (78.5)^1	20 (71.4)^1	52 (91.2)
Age at 1st dose, median (range) in months	4 (2–5)	3 (2–4)	3 (2–6)	3 (2–4)
Age at 2nd dose, median (range) in months	6 (4–9)	5 (4–12)	5 (5–12)	5 (4–6)
Age at 3rd dose, median (range) in months	12 (11–72)	12 (10–20)	12 (10–29)	12 (11–15)
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
Vaccinated subjects, n. (%)	6 (40.0)^1	5 (35.7)^1	13 (46.4)^1	43 (75.4)
Age at 1st dose, median (range) in months	4 (2- 15)	5 (2–4 )	3 (2–5)	3 (2–4)
Age at 2nd dose, median (range) in months	6 (4–17)	6 (4–9)	5 (4–6)	5 (4–6)
Age at 3rd dose, median (range) in months	13.5 (12–21)	13 (11–16)	13 (10–18)	12 (11–15)
Meningococcus C vaccine
Vaccinated subjects, n. (%)	7 (42.5)^1	6 (42.8)^1	14 (48.1)^1	43 (75.4)
MMR vaccine
Vaccinated subjects, n. (%)	6 (40.0)^1	7 (50.0)^1	13 (46.4)^1	52 (91.2)
Age at 1st dose, median (range) in months	15 (12–30)	14 (12–24)	15 (12–60)	13 (12–15)
Age at 2nd dose, median (range) in months	84 (72–132)	60 (30–72)	72 (60–168)	72 (60–84)
DTP-IPV vaccine
Vaccinated subjects, n. (%)	4/9 (44.4)^3	3/9 (33.3)^3	4/12 (33.3)^3	25/30 (83.3)
Age at the booster dose, median (range) in years	6 (6–7)	5.8 (3–7)	5 (3–6)	6 (3–7)
Influenza vaccine
Vaccinated subjects, n. (%)	6 (40.0)^2	7 (50.0)^2	4 (14.3)	18 (31.6)

DTP-IPV vaccine: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and inactivated polio vaccine; MMR: measles, mumps, rubella vaccine; NA: not applicable.

¹ p < 0.05 vs healthy controls;

² p < 0.05 vs Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome; no further differences between groups.

Table 3. Attitudes toward vaccines of parents of children with rare genetic diseases and healthy controls.

Attitude	Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (n = 15)	Sotos syndrome (n = 14)	Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (n = 28)	Healthy controls (n = 57)
Position toward vaccines, n. (%)
Favorable	8 (53.3)^1	6 (42.8)^1	18 (64.3)^1	50 (87.7)
Against	6 (40.0)^1	8 (57.2)^1	9 (32.1)^1	2 (3.5)
Neither favorable nor against	1 (6.7)	0 (0.0)	2 (7.1)	5 (8.8)
Reasons for being against vaccines, n. (%)
Doubts on efficacy	0/6 (0.0)	1/8 (12.5)	1/9 (11.2)	0/2 (0.0)
Worsening of the underlying disease	2/6 (33.3)	3/8 (37.5)	4/9 (44.4)	0/2 (0.0)
Doubts and/or fear of adverse events	3/6 (50.0)	3/8 (37.5)	4/9 (44.4)	1/2 (50.0)
To prefer the disease instead of its prevention	1/6 (16.7)	1/8 (12.5)	0/9 (0.0)	1/2 (50.0)
Why do you vaccinate your child? n. (%)
It is mandatory	7 (46.7)	8 (57.1)	9 (32.1)	4 (7.0)
Hospital pediatrician recommends to vaccinate	2 (13.3)	0 (0.0)	5 (17.9)	0 (0.0)
Primary care pediatricians recommend to vaccinate	5 (33.3)^1	6 (42.9)^1	11 (39.3)^1	50 (87.7)
It is recommended by TV/newspapers/internet	1 (6.7)	0 (0.0)	3 (10.7)	3 (5.3)
Who recommends vaccinating your child? n. (%)
Ministry of health	1 (6.7)	4 (35.7)	6 (21.4)	4 (7.0)
Primary care pediatrician	6 (40.0)^1	5 (50.0)^1	12 (42.9)^1	52 (91.2)
Hospital pediatrician	8 (53.3)^1	4 (28.6)^1	7 (25.0)^1	0 (0.0)
Other (Regions, other parents, friends)	0 (0.0)	1 (7.1)	3 (10.7)	1 (1.8)
Are you in favor of influenza vaccination? n. (%)
Yes	3 (20.0)	4 (28.6)	2 (7.1)	20 (35.1)
No	12 (80.0)	10 (71.4)	26 (92.9)	37 (64.9)
If no, why?
My child has no major complications	7/12 (58.3)	2/10 (20.0)	13/26 (46.4)	24/37 (64.9)
Influenza vaccine is not effective	2/12 (16.7)	4/10 (40.0)	1/26 (3.6)	1/37 (2.7)
I have fear of adverse event	4/12 (33.3)	4/10 (40.0)	10/26 (35.7)	9/37 (24.3)
No pediatrician has recommended it	2/12 (16.7)	0/10 (0.0)	4/26 (14.3)	3/37 (8.1)

NA: not applicable.

¹ p < 0,05 vs healthy controls; no other significant differences between groups.

Kroneman M, van Essen GA, John Paget W. Influenza vaccination coverage and reasons to refrain among high-risk persons in four European countries. Vaccine 2006; 24:622-8; PMID:16169638; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2005.08.040

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