RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Should children with inherited metabolic disorders receive varicella vaccination?
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 99
OP 100
DO 10.1136/adc.2008.147934
VO 96
IS 1
A1 M Varghese
A1 M Cafferkey
A1 M O'Regan
A1 A A Monavari
A1 E P Treacy
YR 2011
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/96/1/99.abstract
AB The aim was to determine the rate of varicella infection and complications in children with disorders of intermediary metabolism (IEM) between the ages of 1 and 16 years attending our national metabolic referral centre. Of 126 children identified, a response was received from 122. A history of previous varicella infection was identified in 64 cases (53%) and of varicella vaccination in 5 (4%). Fifty-three (43%) patients apparently did not have a history of clinical varicella infection. Of the 64 children with a history of varicella infection, five required hospitalisation for complications, including life-threatening lactic acidosis in one patient with mitochondrial disease and metabolic decompensation in four patients. In conclusion, varicella infection may cause an increased risk of metabolic decompensation in patients with IEMs. We propose that a trial of varicella vaccination be considered for this cohort of patients with monitoring of its safety and efficacy.