Efficacy and safety of influenza vaccination in children with asthma

Abstract

The mean global prevalence of asthma among children is approximately 12%, making it the most common chronic disease in children. Influenza infection has been associated with complications such as exacerbations of wheezing and asthma, increased airway hyper-reactivity and hospitalization. Although influenza vaccination is recommended for asthmatic patients by all health authorities, vaccination coverage remains significantly lower than expected and is lowest of all in children. Compliance is affected by the uncertainty of parents and physicians concerning the clinical risk of influenza in asthmatic subjects, the benefits of influenza vaccination in preventing asthma exacerbations and the safety of immunization. The aim of this review is to analyze the rationale for using influenza vaccine, discuss the relationship between influenza and the severity of asthmatic episodes and document the efficacy and safety of influenza vaccination in the pediatric asthmatic population.

Keywords::

• asthma
• asthmatic patients
• children
• influenza
• influenza prevention
• influenza vaccine
• live-attenuated influenza vaccine
• pediatrics
• trivalent influenza vaccine
• wheezing

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This review was supported by a grant from the Italian Ministry of Health, Bando Giovani Ricercatori 2007. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.