Background Takeda’s live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine candidate (TAK-003) is under evaluation in a long-term clinical trial across eight dengue-endemic countries. Previously, we have reported its efficacy and safety in both seronegative and seropositive participants and that its performance varies by serotype, with some decline in efficacy from first to second year post-vaccination. This exploratory analysis provides an update with cumulative and third year data. Methods Healthy 4–16 year-olds (n=20,099) were randomized 2:1 to receive TAK-003 or placebo (0, 3 month schedule). The protocol included baseline serostatus testing of all participants and detection of all symptomatic dengue throughout the trial with a serotype specific RT-PCR. Results Cumulative efficacy after three years was 62.0% (95% confidence interval: 56.6%, 66.7%) against virologically-confirmed dengue (VCD) and 83.6% (76.8%, 88.4%) against hospitalized VCD. Efficacy was 54.3% (41.9%, 64.1%) against VCD and 77.1% (58.6%, 87.3%) against hospitalized VCD in baseline seronegatives, and 65.0% (58.9%, 70.1%) against VCD and 86.0% (78.4%, 91.0%) against hospitalized VCD in seropositives. Efficacy against VCD during the third year declined to 44.7% (32.5%, 54.7%), while efficacy against hospitalized VCD was sustained at 70.8% (49.6%, 83.0%). Rates of serious adverse events were 2.9% in TAK-003 group and 3.5% in placebo group during the ongoing long-term follow-up (i.e. second half of the three years following vaccination), but none were related. No important safety risks were identified. Conclusions TAK-003 was efficacious against symptomatic dengue over three years. Efficacy declined over time but remained robust against hospitalized dengue. A booster dose evaluation is planned.

BMI is a poor indicator of percentage fat and the commonly used cut-off values were not sensitive enough to detect cases of childhood obesity in this study. In order to improve the diagnosis of obesity, either BMI cut-off values should be revised to increase the sensitivity or the possibility of using other indirect methods of estimating the %FM should be explored.

Objective: To develop bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equations to predict total body water (TBW) and fat-free mass (FFM) of Sri Lankan children. Subjects/Methods: Data were collected from 5-to 15-year-old healthy children. They were randomly assigned to validation (M/F: 105/83) and cross-validation (M/F: 53/41) groups. Height, weight and BIA were measured. TBW was assessed using isotope dilution method (D 2 O). Multiple regression analysis was used to develop preliminary equations and cross-validated on an independent group. Final prediction equation was constructed combining the two groups and validated by PRESS (prediction of sum of squares) statistics. Impedance index (height 2 /impedance; cm 2 /O), weight and sex code (male ¼ 1; female ¼ 0) were used as variables. Results: Independent variables of the final prediction equation for TBW were able to predict 86.3% of variance with root meanssquared error (RMSE) of 2.1 l. PRESS statistics was 2.1 l with press residuals of 1.2 l. Independent variables were able to predict 86.9% of variance of FFM with RMSE of 2.7 kg. PRESS statistics was 2.8 kg with press residuals of 1.4 kg. Bland Altman technique showed that the majority of the residuals were within mean bias71.96 s.d. Conclusions: Results of this study provide BIA equation for the prediction of TBW and FFM in Sri Lankan children. To the best of our knowledge there are no published BIA prediction equations validated on South Asian populations. Results of this study need to be affirmed by more studies on other closely related populations by using multi-component body composition assessment.

Background Takeda’s dengue vaccine is under evaluation in an ongoing phase 3 efficacy study; we present a 2-year update. Methods Children (20 099, 4–16 years old) were randomized to receive 2 doses of TAK-003 or placebo 3 months apart and are under surveillance to detect dengue by serotype-specific RT-PCR. Results Cumulative efficacy against dengue approximately 27 months since first dose was 72.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 67.1%–77.3%), including 67.0% (95% CI, 53.6%–76.5%) in dengue-naive and 89.2% (95% CI, 82.4%–93.3%) against hospitalized dengue. In the second year, decline in efficacy was observed (56.2%; 95% CI, 42.3%–66.8%) with the largest decline in 4–5 year olds (24.5%; 95% CI, −34.2% to 57.5%); efficacy was 60.6% (95% CI, 43.8%–72.4%) in 6–11 year and 71.2% (95% CI, 41.0%–85.9%) in 12–16 year age groups. As TAK-003 efficacy varies by serotype, changes in serotype dominance partially contributed to efficacy differences in year-by-year analysis. No related serious adverse events occurred during the second year. Conclusions TAK-003 demonstrated continued benefit independent of baseline serostatus in reducing dengue with some decline in efficacy during the second year. Three-year data will be important to see if efficacy stabilizes or declines further. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02747927. Takeda’s tetravalent dengue vaccine (TAK-003) continued to demonstrate benefit in reducing dengue independent of baseline serostatus up to 2 years after completing vaccination with some decline in efficacy during the second year in 4–16 year olds in dengue-endemic countries.

The analysis confirmed previously identified risk factors for asthma but there was no association between the helminth parasitic infection, toxocariasis and bronchial asthma in children.