Efficacy and safety of Anaferon for children and Anaferon for the prevention and treatment of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors:   Clinical Institute of Children’s Health named after N.F. Filatov, I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Geppe N.A. , Zaplatnikov A.L. ,   Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, Kondyurina E.G. ,   Novosibirsk State Medical University, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, Afanasieva O.I. ,   Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, Pshenichnaya N.Yu. ,   Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow, Russian Federation, Blokhin B.M. ,   Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation, Kaira A.N. ,   Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow, Russian Federation,   I.I. Mechnikov Scientific Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums, Moscow, Russian Federation, Dondurey E.A. ,   Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation,   Children City Clinical Hospital No. 5 named after N.F. Filatov, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Published: October 2021

Aim: to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Anaferon and Anaferon for children for the prevention and treatment of of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI)/influenza using meta-analysis. Patients and Methods: the meta-analysis included data from 11 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving 3079 patients aged 1 month to 69 years, of which: 1729 people were included in the meta-analysis of the preventive drugs efficacy, 1550 patients — in the meta-analysis of the therapeutic efficacy of Anaferon for children. The evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy was conducted according to the criteria "disease duration" and/or "fever duration", the evaluation of the preventive efficacy was conducted according to the criterion "the proportion of patients not falling ill with ARVI/influenza". The safety was evaluated taking into account the number of adverse events (AEs). Statistical methods included the exact Fisher criterion, the Student criterion, fixed and random effects models, the Z-test, the Cochrane-Mantel-Hensel criterion, Cochrane Q-statistics and the I2 coefficient, the Breslow-Day test, the calculation of relative risk (RR), odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: according to the criterion "the proportion of patients not falling ill with ARVI/influenza", the RR of Anaferon for children was 1.2 [95% CI 1.2; 1.3] with an OR of 2.2 [95% CI 1.7; 2.9], while for Anaferon, the RR was 6.7 [95% CI 3.8; 11.8] with an OR of 20.1 [95% CI 9.2; 44.0]. At the same time, the proportion of patients without ARVI/influenza during Anaferon intake exceeded that in the absence of preventive intervention by almost 8 times, and during Anaferon for children intake — 1.3 times vs. placebo. When evaluating the therapeutic effect of Anaferon for children, it was found that the average disease duration was 1.4 times shorter than during placebo intake, and was 4.71±2.53 days (p<0,001). The average fever duration was 2.19±1.21 days vs. 3.22±1.81 days during placebo intake (p<0,001). According to the criterion "disease duration", the weighted average effect value was 1.05 [95% CI 0.44; 1.67], according to the criterion "fever duration" — 0.97 [95% CI 0.61; 1.33] (p<0.001, p-value of the two-tailed Z-test; random effects model). The therapeutic efficacy of Anaferon for children did not depend on the etiology of ARVI, the symptoms, and the presence of comorbidity (asthma). The total number of AEs is similar to those in the comparison group. Conclusion: the conducted review and meta-analysis concerning the efficacy and safety of Anaferon and Anaferon for children for the treatment and prevention of ARVI/influenza allow us to conclude the following: 1) Anaferon for children is effective and safe for the treatment of influenza and other acute respiratory infections, regardless of the pathogen and the presence of comorbidity (asthma); 2) Anaferon and Anaferon for children are effective and safe for the prevention of acute respiratory infections/influenza, including patients with concomitant bronchopulmonary pathology and frequently ill children. KEYWORDS: ARVI, influenza, prevention, treatment, meta-analysis, Anaferon, Anaferon for children. FOR CITATION: Geppe N.A., Zaplatnikov A.L., Kondyurina E.G. et al. Efficacy and safety of Anaferon for children and Anaferon for the prevention and treatment of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections: systematic review and meta-analysis. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2021;5(5):335–347 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2021-5-5-335-347.