Factors influencing influenza-vaccination in adults under immunosuppressive therapy for a systemic inflammatory disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate flu vaccination rates and influencing factors in patients with systemic inflammatory diseases.


METHODS
All patients presenting with a systemic inflammatory disease and taking immunosuppressants, who were hospitalized or had consulted in our internal medicine department between January 2 and 31, 2006, were included in the study. The information concerning flu vaccination was collected with a standardized form.


RESULTS
One hundred and thirty-seven patients (mean age 53.1+/-17.6years; 40 [29%] male patients) were included: 39 (28%) had received flu vaccination in 2005 including 14 (16.7%) of the 84 patients with no other indication for flu vaccination than IS-induced immunodepression and 25 (47.2%) of the 53 patients with other flu vaccination indication(s) (p<0.001). The most frequent reasons for non-vaccination were: absence of physician recommendation (58%), fear of adverse effects (35%) and concern on vaccine clinical effectiveness (5%). The vaccination rate was significantly higher (49%) among patients who remembered having received a voucher from the French National Health Insurance Agency versus 18% among those who did not (OR=4.2 [95%CI, 1.92-9.19] p<0.05). This correlation remained significant after adjustment for confounding factors in a logistic regression model.


CONCLUSIONS
Influenza-vaccination coverage is low in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy for systemic inflammatory diseases. We have to increase the influenza-vaccination coverage in this population.
Lanternier
F
F
Pôle de médecine, groupe hospitalier Cochin-Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, AP-HP, université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France.
Henegar
C
C
Mouthon
L
L
Blanche
P
P
Christophorov
B
B
Cohen
P
P
Bienvenu
B
B
Le Guern
V
V
Berezné
A
A
Pagnoux
C
C
Guillevin
L
L
Launay
O
O
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007252:Influenza Vaccines