Effect of Needle Length When Immunizing Obese Adolescents With Hepatitis B Vaccine
- 1 March 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in PEDIATRICS
- Vol. 125 (3), e508-e512
- https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-1592
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Several studies have noted that obese adolescents and adults achieve lower titers of antibody in response to vaccines such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine. The objective of this study was to determine whether use of a longer (1.5-in) rather than a standard (1-in) needle to penetrate the thicker deltoid fat pad among obese youth would result in higher antibody titers after immunization against HBV. METHODS: Obese adolescents from a large metropolitan area who had not previously received the HBV vaccine were randomly assigned to be immunized with HBV vaccine by using either a 1-inch or a 1.5-inch needle. RESULTS: Those who were immunized with a 1.5-inch needle achieved significantly higher antibody titers to hepatitis B surface antigen (median titers: 1-inch = 189.8 mIU/mL, 1.5-inch = 345.4 mIU/mL; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: This finding supports the hypothesis that needle length accounts for a significant portion of the discrepancy in immune response to HBV vaccine that is seen among those with obesity.Keywords
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- Needle Length for Immunization of Early Adolescents as Determined by UltrasoundPEDIATRICS, 2009
- Vaccine injection technique and reactogenicity—Evidence for practiceVaccine, 2008
- Optimal Intramuscular Needle-Penetration DepthPEDIATRICS, 2008
- Immunogenicity of varying dosages of 7-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide–protein conjugate vaccine in seniors previously vaccinated with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccineVaccine, 2007
- Effect of needle size on immunogenicity and reactogenicity of vaccines in infants: randomised controlled trialBMJ, 2006
- Hepatitis B Vaccine Administered to Children and Adolescents at Yearly IntervalsPEDIATRICS, 1999
- Injection granulomas. Intramuscle or intrafat?Archives of Family Medicine, 1994
- Effect of anatomic injection site, age and smoking on the immune response to hepatitis B vaccinationVaccine, 1989
- Hepatitis B vaccine: Low postvaccination immunity in hospital personnel given gluteal injectionsHepatology, 1985
- Site of Injection and Response to Hepatitis B VaccineThe New England Journal of Medicine, 1985