title: Influenza vaccination of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: safety and immunogenecity issues.
abstract: The influenza vaccine is highly efficacious in the general population; however there have been concerns about the safety, and immunogenecity of the vaccine in patients with SLE. Several studies have suggested that the immune response of patients with SLE to influenza vaccine is significantly lower than the general population, mainly in patients with age > or =50 years and those treated with prednisone. The vaccine is safe for patients with SLE and it does not affect the clinical manifestations of SLE including renal features, disease activity, or the requirement for steroids or cytotoxic drugs. However, the vaccine may trigger the generation of autoantibodies which is usually short term and is not associated with clinical significance.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, Soroka Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel. mahmoud@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abu-Shakra
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Press
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buskila
authors.forename: Shaul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sukenik
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007252:Influenza Vaccines