Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41506521›Full record

ArticlePediatrics2026

Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Among Children With and Without Underlying Conditions.

Haya Hayek, Emma K Noble, Laura S Stewart, Leila C Sahni, Julie A Boom, Marian G Michaels, John V Williams, Janet A Englund, Eileen J Klein, Mary A Staat and 10 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Haya HayekVanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Emma K NobleInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Laura S StewartVanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Leila C SahniTexas Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Julie A BoomTexas Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Marian G MichaelsUPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
John V WilliamsUPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Janet A EnglundSeattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington.
Eileen J KleinSeattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington.
Mary A StaatCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Elizabeth P SchlaudeckerCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Rangaraj SelvaranganUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.
Jennifer E SchusterUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.
Geoffrey A WeinbergUniversity of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York.
Peter G SzilagyiUniversity of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York.
Benjamin R ClopperCoronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Heidi L MolineCoronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Kelsey M SumnerInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Natasha B HalasaVanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Samantha M OlsonInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

Funding

NCIRD CDC HHS U01 IP001049NCIRD CDC HHS U01 IP001152NCIRD CDC HHS U01 IP001154NCIRD CDC HHS U01 IP001156NCIRD CDC HHS U01 IP001157NCIRD CDC HHS U01 IP001158
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveChildren with certain underlying conditions are at higher risk for severe influenza-related complications. In the United States, annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all children aged 6 months and older, yet vaccine effectiveness (VE) in children with underlying conditions remains less understood. We assessed VE against laboratory-confirmed influenza in children with and without underlying conditions presenting to emergency departments or admitted to hospitals.

methodsWe enrolled US children aged 6 months to 17 years at 7 pediatric medical centers within the New Vaccine Surveillance Network during 5 influenza seasons (2015-2020). Influenza status was confirmed by molecular testing and vaccination status was verified using state immunization registries or from health care clinicians. Underlying conditions were abstracted from medical records or self-reported by parents/guardians. VE was estimated by comparing the odds of vaccination among influenza-positive cases vs controls, adjusting for age, site, and calendar time.

resultsOf the 15 875 children included, 2821 (18%) tested positive for influenza. Overall, VE against influenza-associated emergency department visits or hospitalizations was 43% (95% CI: 35%-50%) for children with underlying conditions and 53% (95% CI: 47%-59%) for those without, and there was significant effect measure modification by the presence of underlying conditions (P = .04). VE was lowest among children with respiratory conditions (31%, 95% CI: 19%-42%).

conclusionInfluenza vaccination provided protection in both children with and children without underlying conditions. Efforts to improve influenza vaccination coverage and to initiate early treatment for influenza, particularly in populations at increased risk for severe influenza, are essential to reducing influenza-associated complications.

Indexed as

Influenza, HumanInfluenza VaccinesVaccine EfficacyAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolEmergency Room VisitsFemaleHospitalizationHumansInfantMaleUnited StatesVaccinationInfluenza Vaccines

Identifiers

PMID41506521
PMCPMC13027338

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.