The effectiveness of influenza vaccination in preventing hospitalisations of elderly individuals in two influenza seasons: a multicentre case-control study, Spain, 2013/14 and 2014/15.

The effectiveness of influenza vaccination in preventing hospitalisations of elderly individuals in two influenza seasons: a multicentre case-control study, Spain, 2013/14 and 2014/15. Euro Surveill. 2017 Aug 24;22(34): Authors: Domínguez A, Soldevila N, Toledo D, Godoy P, Espejo E, Fernandez MA, Mayoral JM, Castilla J, Egurrola M, Tamames S, Astray J, Morales-Suárez-Varela M, Working Group of the Project PI12/02079 Abstract Influenza vaccination may limit the impact of influenza in the community. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of influenza vaccination in preventing hospitalisation in individuals aged ≥ 65 years in Spain. A multicentre case-control study was conducted in 20 Spanish hospitals during 2013/14 and 2014/15. Patients aged ≥ 65 years who were hospitalised with laboratory-confirmed influenza were matched with controls according to sex, age and date of hospitalisation. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated by multivariate conditional logistic regression. A total of 728 cases and 1,826 matched controls were included in the study. Overall VE was 36% (95% confidence interval (CI): 22-47). VE was 51% (95% CI: 15-71) in patients without high-risk medical conditions and 30% (95% CI: 14-44) in patients with them. VE was 39% (95% CI: 20-53) in patients aged 65-79 years and 34% (95% CI: 11-51) in patients aged ≥ 80 years, and was greater against the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 subtype...
Source: Euro Surveill - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Tags: Euro Surveill Source Type: research