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Dual flu and pneumococcal vaccination may protect seniors from cardiovascular events
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Older individuals receiving both the 23-valent pneumococcal and influenza vaccines were 35% less likely to die than unvaccinated seniors, according to recent study results.
WHO recommends 23-valent pneumococcal (PPV) and influenza vaccination for older individuals. However, vaccination rates in this age group in Hong Kong, China are low because of uncertainty about the effectiveness of vaccination in general, and the dual vaccination specifically.
The researchers recruited 36,636 outpatients with chronic illness aged ≥65 years to participate in a prospective cohort trial of the two vaccines. Vaccinations were conducted from Dec. 3, 2007 to June 30, 2008, and patients were followed until Mar. 31, 2009.
Outcome measures included rates of death, hospitalization, pneumonia, ischemic stroke, acute myocardial infarction and coronary and intensive care admissions.
The final analysis included 7,292 patients receiving both vaccines, 2,076 patients receiving only influenza vaccination, 1,875 patients receiving only PPV and 25,393 patients remaining unvaccinated. The follow-up analysis totaled 45,834 person-years.
Sixty-four weeks after the start of the study, patients receiving the dual vaccine experienced fewer deaths (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55–0.77), fewer cases of pneumonia (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.51–0.64), ischemic stroke (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54–0.83) and acute myocardial infarction (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.38–0.71) than patients who were unvaccinated.
Fewer ICU admissions (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.22–0.94) and coronary unit admissions (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.44–0.79) were observed in the dual vaccination group compared with the unvaccinated group.
Receipt of influenza vaccination alone also was associated with a reduced risk of death (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.61–1.00).
Compared with unvaccinated patients, dual vaccination also was associated with reduced incidence of coronary obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, influenza-like illness, ischemic heart disease and heart failure.
For more information:
- Hung IFN. Clin Infect Dis. 2010;51:1007–1016.