Randomised controlled trials of measles vaccine given to African girls at 9–10 months of age; all the controls had been immunised against measles at 4–5 months of age
| Study | Age followed (months) | Vaccines* | Measles vaccine | Control vaccine | Reduction in mortality (95% CI)† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bissau EZ126 | 10–60 | M v P | N=91: 11/244.3 (4.5%) | N=85: 7/268.6 (2.6%) | –72% (–425% to 39%) |
| Bissau EZ226 | 10–48 | M v P | N=82: 7/161.5 (4.3%) | N=86: 17/157.1 (10.8%) | 60% (–2% to 86%) |
| Gambia27 | 10–36 | M v P | N=45: 0/74.8 (0%) | N=51: 1/82.9 (1.2%) | –4222% to 100% |
| Senegal28 | 10–60 | MDPY v DPY | N=311: 19/863.3 (2.2%) | N=474: 64/1342.2 (4.8%) | 54% (22% to 74%) |
| Sudan29 | 10–36 | M v N | N=151: 7/327.7 (2.1%) | N=80: 9/169.1 (5.3%) | 60% (–21% to 87%) |
| Total | 47% (23% to 63%)‡ | ||||
| Twin study35 | 0–17 | M v D | 2/5 (154)=0.4 (0.04–2.4)§ | 22/3 (164)=7.3 (2.2–38.3)§ | p=0.001 |
Number of girls: died/person-years (deaths per 100 person-years).
↵* Vaccines: D, diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis; M, measles; N, Neisseria meningitidis polysaccharide; P, inactivated polio; Y, yellow fever.
↵† 100 × (1−measles mortality/control mortality).
↵‡ 100 × (1−Mantel–Haenszel combined mortality ratio), test of homogeneity p=0.14, Stata version 10.
↵§ Female deaths/male deaths (number of female−male twin pairs)=ratio (95% CI); not randomised, but unbiased.