PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Adel S. Al Harbi
TI  - War against respiratory syncytial virus
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2018.12.23355
DP  - 2018 Dec 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 1200--1206
VI  - 39
IP  - 12
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/39/12/1200.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/39/12/1200.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2018 Dec 01; 39
AB  - Objectives: To assess the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection incidence rate through the analysis of data collected before and after implementation of a new palivizumab dosing regimen customized for a high-risk Saudi population.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study performed at Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between November 2009 andApril 2017 on 1704 high risk Saudi young children and comparing 3 palivizumab regimens: a 4-week interval dosing regimen starting in either November or mid-September and a 3-week interval dosing regimen starting in mid-September.Results: Despite a decrease in the incidence rate of RSV infection with the three-week interval regimen (3.9% versus 5.9% in seasons 1 and 9.1% in seasons 2), we did not find significant differences among the 3 groups.Conclusion: Expanded use of palivizumab in newborn children could improve outcomes, but further investigation and a careful cost analysis are required.