A case-control study of elderly patients with acute respiratory illness: effect of influenza vaccination on admission to hospital in winter 2003-2004.

Journal article

Every winter, hospitals face a large increase in emergency respiratory admissions in elderly people. A case-control study was undertaken to assess the effect of routine influenza vaccine in preventing such admissions among a cohort of UK elderly presenting with acute respiratory illness during winter 2003-2004. 157 hospitalised cases and 639 controls (matched for age, sex and week of consultation) were interviewed. In a winter typical of levels of circulating influenza in recent years, influenza vaccine did not show a protective effect on emergency respiratory admissions overall (adjusted OR 1.2 (95%CI 0.8, 1.9). Policy makers should not rely solely on influenza vaccine routinely having a large effect on winter pressures, and should focus on additional preventive strategies.

Authors: Jordan, R; Hawker, J; Ayres, J; Tunnicliffe, W; Adab, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Vaccine
• Volume: 25
• Issue: 46
• Pages: 7909-7913
• Publication date: 2007-11-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.09.005
• EISSN: 1873-2518
• ISSN: 0264-410X
• Language: English
• Keywords: Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; Female; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Health Policy; Cohort Studies; Great Britain; Aged, 80 and over; Male; Aged; Influenza, Human; Vaccination; Influenza Vaccines