To determine vaccination coverage among a French cohort of children with recurrent autoinflammatory fever syndromes (RFS).
All RFS children aged 2 to 19 years from the Juvenile Inflammatory Rheumatism cohort and followed at the French Reference Center for Autoinflammatory Diseases, Versailles Hospital, were included in our observational study. Immunisation status at ages 2, 7 and 15 years and at the last outpatient visit was evaluated according to the standard French vaccine schedule and recommended supplementary vaccines for patients with immunosuppressive therapy.
Of 200 patients, 90 (45%) had periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and adenitis syndrome; 52 (26%) had familial Mediterranean fever and 50 (25%) had undefined recurrent fever. Complete immunisation as per the standard schedule was obtained by 32% of patients at 2 years, 28% at 7 years, 6% at 15 years and 44% at the last outpatient visit. Similar or higher coverage was obtained by the last outpatient visit for most vaccines, compared to immunisation coverage at 2 years: pneumococcus (91% vs 88%), diphtheria tetanus poliomyelitis (82% vs 86%), hepatitis B (79% vs 69%) and measles, mumps, rubella (91% vs 50%). No patients with immunosuppressive therapy (n = 14) were up to date for all supplementary immunisations recommended for them.
Vaccination coverage for RFS children is suboptimal, especially for infants who present with recurrent febrile episodes. The initial vaccination delay is partially corrected through specialist follow-up in later years. Coverage according to the supplementary vaccine recommendations for immunosuppressed patients is poor. Key Points • Vaccination coverage for RFS children is suboptimal, especially at 2 years of age which is likely due to the prevalence of early recurrent febrile symptoms. • The initial vaccination delay is partially recovered during later follow-up at an expert rheumatology center. • Specific recommendations are particularly difficult to apply to patients on immunosuppressive therapy.