Palivizumab and long-term outcomes for cystic fibrosis

Using palivizumab in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) may not lead to long-term improvements, according to a new study published in Pediatrics. Researchers used the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry data.

The registry was used to find links between receipt of palivizumab during the first 2 years of life and long-term outcomes such as lung function at age 7 years; hospitalizations attributed to pulmonary issues in the first 7 years of life; and time to the first Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture. The sample included all eligible infants who were born between 2008 and 2015 and diagnosed with CF in the first 6 months of life.

In the sample of 4267 infants, 1588 were given palivizumab. The average forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted at age 7 years was similar among those who didn’t receive palivizumab (97.3; confidence interval [CI], 96.1-98.5) and those who did receive it (98.2; CI, 96.9-99.5). Similarly, the researchers found that the annual risk of hospitalization and the time to the first positive culture for P aeruginosa were roughly the same between the 2 groups.

The researchers concluded that the long-term outcomes for infants with CF who have been prescribed palivizumab do not appear to be different from those who do not receive the medication. They also said the next step should look at high-risk infants. In addition, they called for creating concise definitions for chronic lung disease and nutritional compromise in children with CF.