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- Title
The efficacy of influenza vaccination in elderly individuals. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
- Authors
Govaert TME; Thijs CTM; Masurel N; Sprenger MJW; Dinant GJ; Knottnerus; Govaert, T M; Thijs, C T; Masurel, N; Sprenger, M J; Dinant, G J; Knottnerus, J A
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>To determine the efficacy of influenza vaccination in elderly people.<bold>Design: </bold>Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.<bold>Setting: </bold>Fifteen family practices in the Netherlands during influenza season 1991-1992.<bold>Participants: </bold>A total of 1838 subjects aged 60 years or older, not known as belonging to those high-risk groups in which vaccination was previously given.<bold>Intervention: </bold>Purified split-virion vaccine containing A/Singapore/6/86(H1N1), A/Beijing/353/89(H3N2), B/Beijing/1/87, and B/Panama/45/90 (n = 927) or intramuscular placebo containing physiological saline solution (n = 911).<bold>Main Outcome Measures: </bold>Patients presenting with influenzalike illness up to 5 months after vaccination; self-reported influenza in postal questionnaires 10 weeks and 5 months after vaccination; serological influenza (fourfold increase of antibody titer between 3 weeks and 5 months after vaccination).<bold>Results: </bold>The incidence of serological influenza was 4% in the vaccine group and 9% in the placebo group (relative risk [RR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35 to 0.61). The incidences of clinical influenza were 2% and 3%, respectively (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.73). The effect was strongest for the combination of serological and clinical influenza (RR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.74). The effect was less pronounced for self-reported influenza.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>In the elderly, influenza vaccination may halve the incidence of serological and clinical influenza (in periods of antigenic drift).
- Publication
JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 1994, Vol 272, Issue 21, p1661
- ISSN
0098-7484
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1001/jama.272.21.1661