Evaluation of #influenza #antiviral #prophylaxis for long-term care residents: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract Background Influenza is a pervasive respiratory infection which disproportionately burdens long-term care residents. To limit outbreaks, guidelines recommend antiviral prophylaxis, particularly oseltamivir or zanamivir , despite acknowledging the inadequate supporting evidence . Therefore, we aimed to review the literature on the efficacy of oseltamivir, zanamivir, and baloxavir prophylaxis for influenza in long-term care. Methods Medline, Embase, PubMed, and several other databases were searched from inception to August 16, 2023. For inclusion, observational studies or randomized controlled trials (RCTs) had to report influenza-like illness (ILI) or infection rates amongst adult long-term care populations receiving prophylaxis. Outcome values were meta-analyzed as intervention-specific pooled proportions (PPs) and risk ratios (RRs) when applicable. Risk of bias was assessed via the Cochrane risk of bias tool 2.0 and Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Results In total, 14 stud...