FW: MMR AND ENCEPHALOPATHY

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MMR AND ENCEPHALOPATHY

Pediatrics 1998 Mar;101(3 Pt 1):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.

>

> Weibel RE, Caserta V, Benor DE, G

>

> Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation, National Vaccine Injury

> Compensation Program, Health Resources and Services

> Administration, Public Health Service, Rockville, land 20857, USA.

>

> 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 n 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.

>

> PMID: 9481001, UI: 98149931