Impacto de un programa de prevención de infecciones respiratorias en lactantes prematuros de alto riesgo: estudio prospectivo y multicéntrico

respiratory tract infections (rti), specially those caused by respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) are of central concern in high-risk preterm infant care. prevention programs including new and costly interventions should be evaluated in terms of efectivity and impact. objectives. to evaluate feasibility and results of a national health ministry pilot program for severe rti prevention in high-risk infants. methods. seven high-risk follow-up clinics from the public healthcare system were selected for a prospective, multicentric study. between may and september 2007, a pilot program comprising healthcare team training, parental education, rsv pasive immunoprophylaxis, rti patient care end results evaluation was implemented. indicators were used to evaluate feasibility; efectivity was estimated comparing study results with two historical controls. results. 183 infants were incorporated, 5 were lost and 1 died from cardiac disease. a rti management guideline was elaborated among participating centers; parents assisted to educational workshops; palivizumab was given to participating infants up to three doses. rti hospital admission rate for the study group was 20% (7% rsv-related), compared to 42% (26% rsv-related) and 37% (29% rsv-related) in control groups (p< 0.0001 and p= 0.02, respectively). conclusions. program implementation was feasible and readily accepted by healthcare teams. rti hospital admissions rates, in general and rsv-related, were significatively lower than local previous studies.