Early Flu Antiviral Reduces ICU Admissions in Hospitalised Children
Sudy finds early treatment was associated with a 31% lower likelihood of ICU admission
A new US study finds antiviral treatment is linked to fewer intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and shorter hospital stays for children hospitalised with influenza. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics and led by experts at the University of Colorado Anschutz, is one of the most comprehensive real-world evaluations of antiviral treatment in paediatric influenza to date.
The research found that children who received early treatment with antiviral treatment, in this case oseltamivir, were 31% less likely to be admitted to an ICU and had shorter hospital stays than those who did not receive the antiviral.
The findings come as use of antiviral medications among hospitalised children with influenza has declined despite national guidelines recommending treatment for suspected or confirmed cases.
“After one of the most severe influenza seasons in the past two decades, these findings reinforce the importance of treating children with influenza who are hospitalised. Our findings show that oseltamivir treatment can decrease the risk of needing critical care, even if started beyond the first two days of the start of the illness,” said the paper’s senior author Suchitra Rao, MD, professor in the department of paediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine and infectious disease specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
One of the largest and most rigorous real-world evaluations
The researchers looked at data from more than 7000 paediatric hospitalisations captured through a FluSurv-NET, a CDC-supported surveillance network that captures laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalisations. The data spanned 13 states and eight influenza seasons.
Unlike many earlier observational studies, this research accounted for when symptoms began and when antiviral treatment started, providing stronger real-world evidence on the effectiveness of oseltamivir in hospitalised children.
“Earlier studies were often missing key information about when children became sick or whether they started antiviral treatment before being hospitalised, making it harder to evaluate the medication’s effectiveness. By capturing those details and using advanced statistical methods, we were able to produce stronger real-world evidence to inform the care of children hospitalised with influenza,” adds Rao.
The findings reinforce current national recommendations that children hospitalised with suspected or confirmed influenza receive an antiviral medication as soon as possible.
Source: University of Colorado Anschutz
