Rotavirus Vaccination and Intussusception: Is There a Connection?

Rotavirus vaccination is not associated with an increased risk for intussusception in infants, according to the results of a recent meta-analysis.

The conclusions of multiple past randomized clinical trials have suggested a potential association between rotavirus vaccination and development of intussusception, according to the researchers.

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To evaluate this association, they conducted a meta-analysis of 25 randomized clinical trials involving 200,594 neonates and infants (104,647 of whom received the vaccine and 95,947 who did not) in 33 countries. Overall, 20 cases of definite intussusception were diagnosed within 31 days after rotavirus vaccination, 11 of which were in the vaccine group and 9 of which were in the placebo group. Within the first year, 74 cases were reported, with 37 cases in the vaccine group and 37 in the placebo group.

“In this systematic review and meta-analysis…we found no association of vaccination with increased risk of intussusception compared with placebo among infants for up to 2 years after vaccination. Our results contradict the postmarketing monitoring suggestion about the risk of intussusception after the rotavirus vaccination. We suggest that the benefit of the vaccination exceeds the potential risk of intussusception,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Lu H, Ding Y, Goyal H, et al. Association between rotavirus vaccination and risk of intussusception among neonates and infants [published online October 4, 2019]. JAMA Netw Open. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.12458.