[Potential impact and cost-efficacy of bronchiolitis prophylaxis with palivizumab in preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 33 weeks]. / Impacto potencial y análisis coste-eficacia de la profilaxis con palivizumab, en la prevención de bronquiolitis, en prematuros menores de 33 semanas de gestación.

INTRODUCTION: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main cause of bronchiolitis in children aged less than 2 years. The effectiveness of palivizumab has recently been reported in several clinical trials. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothetical impact of a treatment strategy using palivizumab for the prevention of bronchiolitis in premature infants. METHODS: Neonates born in our hospital between January 1995 and December 1998 who were admitted for bronchiolitis were included. Using information from the Impact-RSV study, the effects and impact of different cut-off points in the gestational age of the study group were measured. Cost-effectiveness analysis included the cost of hospitalization as well as the direct cost of palivizumab prescriptions. RESULTS: Of 7,766 newborn infants, 56 had a gestational age of < or =32 weeks. Of these, bronchiolitis was diagnosed in eight infants (14.28%), and RSV was isolated in seven (14.28%). After hypothetical prophylaxis in premature infants the best results were obtained in the group with a gestational age of 30 weeks. In this group the relative risk of admission for bronchiolitis was 12.1 (95% CI: 4.8-30.5) and treatment would be required in nine infants to avoid one admission (cost Euros 12,915), with a cost 3.8 times greater than the current cost, without prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of the impact and cost-effectiveness analysis of palivizumab prophylaxis provides a useful method for determining recommendations for the prevention of bronchiolitis in premature infants.