FLU VACCINATION HALVES INFLUENZA INCIDENCE

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Summary and Comment

FLU VACCINATION HALVES INFLUENZA INCIDENCE.

Influenza vaccination is widely recommended for elderly people, but the evidence supporting its efficacy is based on studies of young, healthy volunteers. To evaluate the effects of flu shots in their target population, researchers in the Netherlands performed a randomized, double-blind trial in 1838 people aged 60 or older.

None of the subjects were in high-risk groups: all were free of heart or lung conditions, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal insufficiency, and chronic staphylococcal infections. They received either flu vaccine or placebo in the fall of 1991 and had serum antibody titers to influenza viral strains measured three weeks and five months later. By the time of the five-month follow-up, 4 percent of the vaccine group and 9 percent of the placebo group had serologic evidence of influenza, and 2 and 3 percent, respectively, had developed clinical syndromes suggestive of influenza.

Comment: This study indicates that influenza vaccination halves the incidence of flu in the healthy elderly. Combined with recent cost-effectiveness studies, the data show that influenza vaccination leads to improved health and lower health care costs.

— TH Lee

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine December 20, 1994

Citation(s):

Patriarca PA. A randomized controlled trial of influenza vaccine in the elderly: scientific scrutiny and ethical responsibility. JAMA 1994 Dec 7 272 1700-1701.