A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the safety of early oseltamivir treatment among children 0-9 years of age hospitalized with influenza in El Salvador and Panama.

Abstract Background Oseltamivir reduces symptom duration among children with uncomplicated influenza, but few data exist on treatment efficacy and tolerability among hospitalized children, particularly among infants aged Methods We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial at tertiary care hospitals in El Salvador and Panama. Primary outcomes were length of hospitalization and increased work of breathing. Children were eligible if hospitalized Results Overall, 683 children were randomized (oseltamivir, n = 341, placebo n = 342). Fifty-three percent were aged Conclusion Oseltamivir treatment was well tolerated among hospitalized children, including among infants aged