Researchers at Korea University College of Medicine Describe Findings in Acute Otitis Media (Evaluation of the effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for children in Korea with high vaccine coverage using a propensity score matched …)

2020 MAR 20 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Vaccine Daily -- Investigators discuss new findings in Ear Diseases and Conditions - Acute Otitis Media. According to news originating from Seoul, South Korea, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “This study was performed to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of protein conjugated pneumococcal vaccines (PCV) in children with regard to all-cause pneumonia (ACP), pneumococcal pneumonia (PP), invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), and acute otitis media (AOM), in a country where the unvaccinated group is very small. Children born between 2013 and 2015 were identified in the national population registry for retrospective observation.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Korea University College of Medicine, “Vaccination history from the National Immunization Program registry and medical records from the National Health Insurance System were linked together to set up a cohort. VE based on original and propensity score matched cohorts were estimated and compared. A total of 990 224 children were included and 98% were vaccinated. The crude incidence of ACP, PP, and AOM for the original cohort was heavily skewed to the vaccinated group. Adjusting for age, sex, comorbidity, and healthcare utilization rate, the vaccine was found to be effective against PP (VE 60.15%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 21.21-79.85%) and AOM (VE 19.13%, 95% CI 13.42-24.46%). The propensity score matched cohort showed VE against ACP (5.95%, 95% CI 0.88-11.57%), PP (48.61%, 95% CI 23.60-65.43%), and AOM (33.21%, 95% CI 31.01-35.33%). The direct effect of the PCV program was confirmed for ACP, PP, and AOM.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The propensity score matched cohort is a feasible solution for measuring and tracing nationwide VE in countries with a very high level of vaccine coverage.”

For more information on this research see: Evaluation of the effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for children in Korea with high vaccine coverage using a propensity score matched national population cohort. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2020;93():146-150. International Journal of Infectious Diseases can be contacted at: Elsevier Sci LTD, the Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, Oxon, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; International Journal of Infectious Diseases - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-infectious-diseases/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from S. Sohn, Dept. of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Goryeodae-ro 73, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, South Korea. Additional authors for this research include K. Hong and B.C Chun.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.01.034. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher’s contact information for the International Journal of Infectious Diseases is: Elsevier Sci LTD, the Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, Oxon, England.

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