By Ethan Covey
More than half of preterm infants are undervaccinated at 19 months of age, according to a study conducted in Washington state.
And one-third of these infants had yet to reach standard vaccine completion by 36 months (Pediatrics [Epub Aug 7, 2019]. doi: 10.1542/peds.2018-3520).
“We know that approximately one in every 10 infants in the U.S. is born prematurely,” commented Annika M. Hofstetter, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, in Seattle, and a principal investigator at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. “These preterm infants are at increased risk for vaccine-preventable infections and related complications.”
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that medically stable preterm infants receive all early childhood vaccines. However, limited data exist regarding whether these vaccines are received as recommended.
Dr. Hofstetter and her colleagues compared rates of completion of the recommended seven-vaccine series by 19 months of age between preterm (born at <37 weeks’ gestation) and term or late-term infants (born at 37-43 weeks’ gestation). Additionally, the researchers noted completion rates at 36 months of age, as well as receipt of individual vaccines, such as rotavirus, hepatitis A and influenza.
Data from 10,367 infants with birth hospitalizations at an urban academic medical center between 2008 and 2013 were reviewed. Electronic health record data were linked with vaccine tracking information from the Washington State Immunization Information System.
Of the infants in the study population, 19.3% were premature. Compared with term or late-term infants, the preterm infants had lower rates of seven-vaccine completion at 19 months (47.5% vs. 54.0%), and at 36 months (63.6% vs. 71.3%). Full influenza vaccine coverage also differed between the groups, with 41.5% of late-preterm infants receiving the vaccination, compared with 47.7% of early-preterm infants and 44.7% of those born at full term or later.
Dr. Hofstetter stressed that addressing these discrepancies is vital to providing appropriate care for preterm infants. “Strategies are needed to improve timely receipt of childhood vaccines in this high-risk preterm population,” she said.
