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From URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/101/3/383?maxtoshow=&HITS=&hi
PEDIATRICS Vol. 101 No. 3 March 1998, pp. 383-387 Acute Encephalopathy
Followed by Permanent Brain Injury or
Death Associated With Further Attenuated Measles Vaccines: A Review of Claims
Submitted to the National Vaccine
Injury Compensation Program
Received Jul 30, 1997; accepted Sep 23, 1997.
Robert E. Weibel*, Vito Caserta*, David E. Benor, and Geoffrey Evans*
>From the * Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation, National Vaccine
Injury Compensation Program, Health
Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, Rockville,
Maryland; and the Office of the General
Counsel, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville,
Maryland.
Objective. To determine if there is evidence for a causal relationship
between acute encephalopathy followed by
permanent brain injury or death associated with the administration of further
attenuated measles vaccines (Attenuvax or
Lirugen, Hoechst Marion Roussel, Kansas City, MO), mumps vaccine (Mumpsvax,
Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA), or
rubella vaccines (Meruvax or Meruvax II, Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA),
combined measles and rubella vaccine
(M-R-Vax or M-R-Vax II, Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA), or combined
measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (M-M-R
or M-M-R II, Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA), the lead author reviewed
claims submitted to the National Vaccine
Injury Compensation Program.
Methods. The medical records of children who met the inclusion criteria of
receiving the first dose of these vaccines
between 1970 and 1993 and who developed such an encephalopathy with no
determined cause within 15 days were
identified and analyzed.
Results. A total of 48 children, ages 10 to 49 months, met the inclusion
criteria after receiving measles vaccine, alone or
in combination. Eight children died, and the remainder had mental regression
and retardation, chronic seizures, motor
and sensory deficits, and movement disorders. The onset of neurologic signs
or symptoms occurred with a nonrandom,
statistically significant distribution of cases on days 8 and 9. No cases
were identified after the administration of
monovalent mumps or rubella vaccine.
Conclusions. This clustering suggests that a causal relationship between
measles vaccine and encephalopathy may
exist as a rare complication of measles immunization.
(su "VIA", del 29.01.1999)
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