Side Effects for Infanrix
Clinical Trials Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a vaccine cannot be directly compared with rates in the clinical trials of another vaccine and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Approximately 95,000 doses of INFANRIX have been administered in clinical studies. In these studies, 29,243 infants have received INFANRIX in primary series studies: 6,081 children have received a fourth consecutive dose of INFANRIX, 1,764 children have received a fifth consecutive dose of INFANRIX, and 559 children have received a dose of INFANRIX following 3 doses of PEDIARIX.
Solicited Adverse Reactions
In a U.S. study, 335 infants received INFANRIX, ENGERIX-B [Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant)], inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV, Sanofi Pasteur SA), Haemophilus b (Hib) conjugate vaccine (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.; no longer licensed in the United States), and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate (PCV7) vaccine (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.) concomitantly at separate sites. All vaccines were administered at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. Data on solicited local reactions and general adverse reactions were collected by parents using standardized diary cards for 4 consecutive days following each vaccine dose (i.e., day of vaccination and the next 3 days) (Table 1). Among subjects, 69% were White, 16% were Hispanic, 8% were Black, 4% were Asian, and 2% were of other racial/ethnic groups.
Table 1: Solicited Local and General Adverse Reactions (%) Occurring within 4 Days of Vaccinationa with Separate Concomitant Administration of INFANRIX, ENGERIX-B, IPV, Haemophilus b (Hib) Conjugate Vaccine, and Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV7) (Modified Intent-to-Treat Cohort)
| Adverse Reaction |
INFANRIX, ENGERIX-B, IPV, Hib Vaccine, & PCV7 |
| Dose 1 |
Dose 2 |
Dose 3 |
| Localb |
| n |
335 |
323 |
315 |
| Pain, any |
32 |
30 |
30 |
| Pain, Grade 2 or 3 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
| Pain, Grade 3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| Redness, any |
18 |
33 |
39 |
| Redness, >20 mm |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Swelling, any |
10 |
20 |
25 |
| Swelling, >20 mm |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| General |
| n |
333 |
321 |
311 |
| Feverc (≥100.4°F) |
20 |
30 |
24 |
| Feverc (>101.3°F) |
5 |
8 |
6 |
| Feverc (>102.2°F) |
0 |
3 |
2 |
| Feverc (>103.1 °F) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| n |
335 |
323 |
315 |
| Drowsiness, any |
54 |
48 |
38 |
| Drowsiness, Grade 2 or 3 |
18 |
12 |
11 |
| Drowsiness, Grade 3 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
| Irritability/Fussiness, any |
62 |
62 |
57 |
| Irritability/Fussiness, Grade 2 or 3 |
19 |
21 |
19 |
| Irritability/Fussiness, Grade 3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
| Loss of appetite, any |
28 |
27 |
24 |
| Loss of appetite, Grade 2 or 3 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
| Loss of appetite, Grade 3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Hib conjugate vaccine and PCV7 manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. IPV manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur SA.
Modified intent-to-treat cohort = All vaccinated subjects for whom safety data were available.
n = Number of infants for whom at least one symptom sheet was completed; for fever; numbers exclude missing temperature recordings or tympanic measurements.
Grade 2: Pain defined as cried/protested on touch; drowsiness defined as interfered with normal daily activities; irritability/fussiness defined as crying more than usual/interfered with normal daily activities; loss of appetite defined as eating less than usual/interfered with normal daily activities.
Grade 3: Pain defined as cried when limb was moved/spontaneously painful; drowsiness defined as prevented normal daily activities; irritability/fussiness defined as crying that could not be comforted/prevented normal daily activities; loss of appetite defined as no eating at all.
a Within 4 days of vaccination defined as day of vaccination and the next 3 days.
b Local reactions at the injection site for INFANRIX.
c Axillary temperatures increased by 1°C and oral temperatures increased by 0.5°C to derive equivalent rectal temperature. |
In a U.S. study, the safety of a booster dose of INFANRIX was evaluated in children aged 15 to 18 months whose previous 3 DTaP doses were with INFANRIX (n = 251) or PEDIARIX (n = 559). Vaccines administered concurrently with the fourth dose of INFANRIX included measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine (Merck & Co., Inc.), varicella vaccine (Merck & Co., Inc.), pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate (PCV7) vaccine (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.), and any U.S.-licensed Hib conjugate vaccine; these were given concomitantly in 13.2%, 6.3%, 37.4%, and 41.2% of subjects, respectively. Data on solicited adverse reactions were collected by parents using standardized diary cards for 4 consecutive days following each vaccine dose (i.e., day of vaccination and the next 3 days) (Table 2). Among subjects, 85% were White, 6% were Hispanic, 6% were Black, 1% were Asian, and 2% were of other racial/ethnic groups.
Table 2: Solicited Local and General Adverse Reactions (%) Occurring within 4 Days of Vaccinationa with INFANRIX Administered as the Fourth Dose following 3 Previous Doses of INFANRIX or PEDIARIX (Total Vaccinated Cohort)
| Adverse Reaction |
Group Primed with INFANRIXb
n = 247 |
Group Primed with PEDIARIXc
n = 553 |
| Locald |
| Pain, any |
45 |
48 |
| Pain, Grade 2 or 3 |
19 |
19 |
| Pain, Grade 3 |
4 |
3 |
| Redness, any |
48 |
50 |
| Redness, >20 mm |
6 |
6 |
| Swelling, any |
33 |
33 |
| Swelling, >20 mm |
4 |
5 |
| Increase in mid-thigh circumference, any |
33 |
26 |
| Increase in mid-thigh circumference, >40 mm |
0 |
1 |
| General |
| Fevere (>99.5°F) |
9 |
15 |
| Fevere (>100.4°F) |
5 |
7 |
| Fevere (>101.3°F) |
2 |
2 |
| Drowsiness, any |
36 |
31 |
| Drowsiness, Grade 2 or 3 |
9 |
7 |
| Drowsiness, Grade 3 |
2 |
1 |
| Irritability, any |
52 |
54 |
| Irritability, Grade 2 or 3 |
18 |
20 |
| Irritability, Grade 3 |
3 |
1 |
| Loss of appetite, any |
25 |
23 |
| Loss of appetite, Grade 2 or 3 |
5 |
5 |
| Loss of appetite, Grade 3 |
2 |
0 |
Total Vaccinated Cohort = All subjects who received a dose of study vaccine.
n = Number of subjects for whom at least one symptom sheet was completed.
Grade 2: Pain defined as cried/protested on touch; drowsiness defined as interfered with normal daily activities; irritability defined as crying more than usual/interfered with normal daily activities; loss of appetite defined as eating less than usual/no effect on normal daily activities.
Grade 3: Pain defined as cried when limb was moved/spontaneously painful; drowsiness defined as prevented normal daily activities; irritability defined as crying that could not be comforted/prevented normal daily activities; loss of appetite defined as eating less than usual/interfered with normal daily activities.
a Within 4 days of vaccination defined as day of vaccination and the next 3 days.
b Received INFANRIX, ENGERIX-B, IPV (Sanofi Pasteur SA), PCV7 vaccine (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.), and Hib conjugate vaccine (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.; no longer licensed in the United States) at 2, 4, and 6 months of age.
c Received PEDIARIX, PCV7 vaccine (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.), and Hib conjugate vaccine (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.; no longer licensed in the United States) at 2, 4, and 6 months of age or PCV7 vaccine 2 weeks later.
d Local reactions at the injection site for INFANRIX.
e Axillary temperatures. |
In a U.S. study, the safety of a fifth consecutive dose of INFANRIX coadministered at separate sites with a fourth dose of IPV (Sanofi Pasteur SA) and a second dose of MMR vaccine (Merck & Co., Inc.) was evaluated in 1,053 children aged 4 to 6 years. Data on solicited adverse reactions were collected by parents using standardized diary cards for 4 consecutive days following each vaccine dose (i.e., day of vaccination and the next 3 days) (Table 3). Among subjects, 43% were White, 18% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 7% Black, and 17% were of other racial/ethnic groups.
Table 3: Solicited Local and General Adverse Reactions (%) Occurring within 4 Days of Vaccinationa with a Fifth Consecutive Dose of INFANRIX when Coadministered with IPV and MMR Vaccine (Total Vaccinated Cohort)
| Localb |
n = 1,039-1,043 |
| Pain, any |
53 |
| Pain, Grade 2 or 3c |
12 |
| Pain, Grade 3c |
1 |
| Redness, any |
37 |
| Redness, ≥50 mm |
20 |
| Redness, ≥110 mm |
4 |
| Arm circumference increase, any |
38 |
| Arm circumference increase, >20 mm |
7 |
| Arm circumference increase, >30 mm |
3 |
| Swelling, any |
27 |
| Swelling, ≥50 mm |
12 |
| Swelling, ≥110 mm |
2 |
| General |
n = 993-1,036 |
| Drowsiness, any |
18 |
| Drowsiness, Grade 3d |
1 |
| Fever, ≥99.5 °F |
15 |
| Fever, >100.4°F |
4 |
| Fever, >102.2°F |
1 |
| Fever, >104°F |
0 |
| Loss of appetite, any |
16 |
| Loss of appetite, Grade 3e |
1 |
IPV manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur SA. MMR vaccine manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.
Total Vaccinated Cohort = All vaccinated subjects for whom safety data were available.
n = Number of children with evaluable data for the reactions listed.
a Within 4 days of vaccination defined as day of vaccination and the next 3 days.
b Local reactions at the injection site for INFANRIX.
c Grade 2 defined as painful when the limb was moved; Grade 3 defined as preventing normal daily activities.
d Grade 3 defined as preventing normal daily activities.
e Grade 3 defined as not eating at all. |
In the U.S. booster immunization studies in which INFANRIX was administered as the fourth or fifth dose in the DTaP series following previous doses with INFANRIX or PEDIARIX, large swelling reactions of the limb injected with INFANRIX were assessed.
In the fourth-dose study, a large swelling reaction was defined as injection site swelling with a diameter of >50 mm, a >50 mm increase in the mid-thigh circumference compared with the pre-vaccination measurement, and/or any diffuse swelling that interfered with or prevented daily activities. The overall incidence of large swelling reactions occurring within 4 days (Day 0-Day 3) following INFANRIX was 2.3%.
In the fifth-dose study, a large swelling reaction was defined as swelling that involved >50% of the injected upper arm length and that was associated with a >30 mm increase in mid-upper arm circumference within 4 days following vaccination. The incidence of large swelling reactions following the fifth consecutive dose of INFANRIX was 1.0%.
Less Common And Serious General Adverse Reactions
Selected adverse reactions reported from a double-blind, randomized Italian clinical efficacy trial involving 4,696 children administered INFANRIX or 4,678 children administered whole-cell DTP vaccine (DTwP) (manufactured by Connaught Laboratories, Inc.) as a 3-dose primary series are shown in Table 4. The incidence of rectal temperature ≥104°F, hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes, and persistent crying ≥3 hours following administration of INFANRIX was significantly less than that following administration of whole-cell DTP vaccine.
Table 4: Selected Adverse Reactions Occurring within 48 Hours following Vaccination with INFANRIX or Whole-Cell DTP in Italian Infants at 2, 4, or 6 Months of Age
| Reaction |
INFANRIX
(n = 13,761 Doses) |
Whole-Cell DTP Vaccine (n = 13,520 Doses) |
| Number |
Rate/1,000 Doses |
Number |
Rate/1,000 Doses |
| Fever (>104°F)a,b |
5 |
0.36 |
32 |
2.4 |
| Hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodec |
0 |
0 |
9 |
0.67 |
| Persistent crying ≥3 hoursa |
6 |
0.44 |
54 |
4.0 |
| Seizuresd |
1e |
0.07 |
3f |
0.22 |
a P <0.001.
b Rectal temperatures.
c P = 0.002.
d Not statistically significant at P <0.05.
e Maximum rectal temperature within 72 hours of vaccination = 103.1°F.
f Maximum rectal temperature within 72 hours of vaccination = 99.5°F, 101.3°F, and 102.2°F. |
In a German safety study that enrolled 22,505 infants (66,867 doses of INFANRIX administered as a 3-dose primary series at 3, 4, and 5 months of age), all subjects were monitored for unsolicited adverse events that occurred within 28 days following vaccination using report cards. In a subset of subjects (n = 2,457), these cards were standardized diaries which solicited specific adverse reactions that occurred within 8 days of each vaccination in addition to unsolicited adverse events which occurred from enrollment until approximately 30 days following the third vaccination. Cards from the whole cohort were returned at subsequent visits and were supplemented by spontaneous reporting by parents and a medical history after the first and second doses of vaccine. In the subset of 2,457, adverse events following the third dose of vaccine were reported via standardized diaries and spontaneous reporting at a follow-up visit. Adverse events in the remainder of the cohort were reported via report cards which were returned by mail approximately 28 days after the third dose of vaccine. Adverse reactions (rates per 1,000 doses) occurring within 7 days following any of the first 3 doses included: unusual crying (0.09), febrile seizure (0.0), afebrile seizure (0.13), and hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes (0.01).
Postmarketing Experience
In addition to reports in clinical trials for INFANRIX, the following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of INFANRIX. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to vaccination.
Infections And Infestations
Bronchitis, cellulitis, respiratory tract infection.
Blood And Lymphatic System Disorders
Lymphadenopathy, thrombocytopenia.
Immune System Disorders
Anaphylactic reaction, hypersensitivity.
Nervous System Disorders
Encephalopathy, headache, hypotonia, syncope.
Ear And Labyrinth Disorders
Ear pain.
Cardiac Disorders
Cyanosis.
Respiratory, Thoracic, And Mediastinal Disorders
Apnea, cough.
Skin And Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders
Angioedema, erythema, pruritus, rash, urticaria.
General Disorders And Administration Site Conditions
Fatigue, injection site induration, injection site reaction, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Drug Interactions for Infanrix
Concomitant Vaccine Administration
In clinical trials, INFANRIX was given concomitantly with Hib conjugate vaccine, pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, IPV, and the second dose of MMR vaccine [see ADVERSE REACTIONS, Clinical Studies].
When INFANRIX is administered concomitantly with other injectable vaccines, they should be given with separate syringes. INFANRIX should not be mixed with any other vaccine in the same syringe.
Immunosuppressive Therapies
Immunosuppressive therapies, including irradiation, antimetabolites, alkylating agents, cytotoxic drugs, and corticosteroids (used in greater than physiologic doses), may reduce the immune response to INFANRIX.