Palivizumab Use in Infants and Children Under 24 Months in South Korea: Utilization Patterns and Demographic Insights in Real World

Speaker(s)

Han HJ1, Suh HS2
1Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 41, South Korea, 2College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Department of Regulatory Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Institute of Regulatory Innovation through Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea, Republic of (South)

Presentation Documents

OBJECTIVES: Palivizumab is approved and in use for infants and children under 24 months who are vulnerable to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the reimbursement criteria vary by country. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of palivizumab recipients and the utilization patterns in clinical practice in South Korea.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study using the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. The study included infants under one year old and children under 24 months who received at least one dose of palivizumab between January 2017 and April 2022. Demographic characteristics were assessed at the first receipt of palivizumab. The average dose per person and time trends of palivizumab utilization were also evaluated.

RESULTS: We identified 19,794 palivizumab recipients, with 10,829 (54.71%) being male infants or children under 24 months during the 5 years and 4 months study period. Of the total population, 86.44% (n=17,109) were born prematurely, and 98% started palivizumab prophylaxis before 12 months of age. The number of recipients remained consistent from 2017 to 2020, averaging 6,637 per year, with January being the peak month of use (21.61%). However, the number of recipients decreased by about half in 2021. Notably, 7.73% of palivizumab was administered outside the RSV season. The average number of administrations per recipient was 3.6 during the study period. The average dose per administration was 101.93 mg (95% CL: 101.64-102.22), with a significant difference between preterm (99.90 mg, 95% CL: 99.56-100.21) and full-term (115.58 mg, 95% CL: 114.81-116.35) groups (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirmed the predominant use of palivizumab for preterm infants, aligning with its role in protecting the most vulnerable populations from RSV. The consistent yearly administration rates and peak usage in January indicate effective seasonal prophylaxis strategies.

Code

RWD133

Topic

Epidemiology & Public Health

Topic Subcategory

Public Health

Disease

Pediatrics, Respiratory-Related Disorders (Allergy, Asthma, Smoking, Other Respiratory)