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Pharmacy & Acute Care University
Pharmacy & Acute Care University
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Emergency Medicine: Pediatrics 221

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  1. Pediatric Sepsis
    8 Topics
  2. Pediatric Meningitis
    8 Topics
  3. Pediatric/neonatal febrile seizures
    8 Topics
  4. Pediatric advanced life support
    10 Topics
  5. Pediatric Croup
    8 Topics
  6. Pediatric RSV
    8 Topics

Participants 396

  • Allison Clemens
  • April
  • ababaabhay
  • achoi2392
  • adhoward1
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Emergency Medicine: Pediatrics 221 Pediatric RSV Summary and References
Lesson 6, Topic 8
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Summary and References

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Respiratory syncytial virus is a very common respiratory infection in infants and children under 1 year old. It frequently causes bronchiolitis and viral pneumonia leading to hospitalization. Premature infants and those with chronic diseases are at highest risk for severe disease. Supportive care remains the foundation of treatment for most patients. Ribavirin lacks proven efficacy and is not recommended routinely. Bronchodilators provide limited benefit while corticosteroids prolong viral shedding and should be avoided. Palivizumab antibody prophylaxis significantly reduces complications in high-risk infants when given during RSV season. Understanding the guidelines for palivizumab use and recognizing the lack of efficacy for ribavirin and routine bronchodilators/steroids are key for pharmacists caring for pediatric patients.

References

  1. Ralston SL, Lieberthal AS, Meissner HC, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline: The Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Bronchiolitis. Pediatrics. 2014;134(5):e1474-e1502. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-2742
  2. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases; American Academy of Pediatrics Bronchiolitis Guidelines Committee. Updated guidance for palivizumab prophylaxis among infants and young children at increased risk of hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus infection. Pediatrics. 2014;134(2):415-420. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-1665
  3. Committee on Infectious Diseases. From the American Academy of Pediatrics: Policy statements–Modified recommendations for use of palivizumab for prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections. Pediatrics. 2009;124(6):1694-1701. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-2345
  4. Hall CB, Weinberg GA, Iwane MK, et al. The burden of respiratory syncytial virus infection in young children. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(6):588-598. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0804877
  5. Meissner HC. Viral Bronchiolitis in Children. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(1):62-72. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1413456
  6. Crowe JE Jr. Respiratory syncytial virus. In: Kliegman RM, St Geme JW III, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 250.