Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is associated with high case fatality rates (CFRs) and severe long-term sequelae. In the United States (US), no vaccine is approved to prevent IMD from meningococcal serogroup B in <10‑year‑olds, despite serogroup B being a leading cause of IMD. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to better understand IMD burden in the population of US <10-year-olds.
METHODS: This SLR aimed to identify evidence on IMD epidemiology, economic impact, sequelae, and health state utilities among pediatric patients and their caregivers. Literature searches were conducted in February-March 2024 across two databases for incidence, risk factors, and sequelae (2019-onward, abstracts 2022-onward), economic impact (2010-onward), and health state utilities (2010-onward). Studies were screened against topic-specific criteria.
RESULTS: Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria; 20 reported on incidence, risk factors, survival, and sequelae, 7 on costs and resource use, and 0 on health state utilities. Five studies reported pediatric IMD incidence, with the highest incidence identified in infants (<1-year-olds; 0.38 cases/100,000 people in 2022); no studies reported infant-specific risk factors. Five studies evaluated survival outcomes for pediatric IMD patients; CFRs in infants ranged from 0-25%. Two studies reported lower CFRs for infants versus older adolescents, while another reported higher CFRs in outbreaks with median age 1 year versus 18-22 years. One study reported sequelae in pediatric patients, assessing auditory impacts; sensorineural hearing loss occurred in 7.7%. Across 7 studies reporting costs and resource use among pediatric patients with IMD, costs for hospital admissions and length of stay were highest among infants (<1-year-olds), followed by adolescents (19-20-year-olds).
CONCLUSIONS: IMD burden in the US is generally highest among infants, but significant data gaps exist. Further research is needed on risk factors for IMD and related sequelae in infants, along with direct and indirect costs and health state utilities in the US pediatric population. Funding: GSK VEO-000945.