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Flu vaccination may reduce dementia risk in patients with HF

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Patients with HF who receive the influenza vaccination have a 35% reduced risk for dementia, according to new data presented at Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure.

“We think that the flu virus can activate the immune response and cause inflammation which may injure the brain cells,” Ju-Chi Liu, MD, PhD, director of the division of cardiovascular medicine, department of medicine, Taipei Medical University – Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, said in a press release. “Respiratory infection during flu can induce changes in [BP] and heart rate, referred to as an unstable hemodynamic status, which may also harm the brain tissue. These effects of the flu could play a role in the development of dementia, particularly in [patients with HF] who already have impaired circulation in the brain.”

Liu and colleagues identified 20,509 patients with HF older than 60 years who had visited health care facilities in Taiwan between 2000 and 2012. During 12 years of follow-up, 10,797 of the patients had been vaccinated against influenza at least once. The remaining 9,712 were never vaccinated during the study period.

Even after the researchers adjusted for potential confounders, patients had a lower risk for dementia (HR = 0.65; P <.001). Those who had been vaccinated more than three times had a 55% lower risk (adjusted HR = 0.45; P < .001). In addition, vaccinated patients older than 70 years had a greater risk reduction than vaccinated patients aged 60 to 69 years (44% vs. 26%; P < .001).

When stratified by sex, men with HF who were vaccinated had a 40% lower risk for dementia (HR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.54-0.68) compared with a 31% lower risk in women with HF (HR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.62-0.76).

“More efforts are needed to ensure that patients with [HF] are vaccinated against influenza every year. Our data suggest that these patients benefit even more from vaccination than was previously thought,” Liu said in the release. – by Tracey Romero

Reference:

Liu JC, et al. Abstract P1496. Presented at: Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure; May 21-24, 2016; Florence, Italy.

Disclosure: Liu reports no relevant financial disclosures.