title: Influenza vaccination reduces cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Influenza infection has been shown to accentuate the progression of atherosclerosis and precipitate the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the protective effects of the influenza vaccine on cardiovascular events are still inconclusive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study was a prospective randomized open with blinded endpoint (PROBE) study. The 439 patients who had been admitted due to ACS within 8 weeks were enrolled and randomly allocated to receive inactivated influenza vaccine in the vaccine group and no treatment in the control group. All patients were treated with the standard therapy including revascularization according to primary cardiologists. The primary endpoint, which was the combined major cardiovascular events, including death, hospitalization from ACS, hospitalization from heart failure, and hospitalization from stroke, occurred less frequently in the vaccine group than the control group [9.5 vs. 19.3%, unadjusted HR 0.70 (0.57-0.86), P = 0.004]. There was no significant difference in the incidence of cardiovascular death between the vaccine and control groups [2.3 vs. 5.5%, unadjusted HR 0.39 (0.14-1.12), P = 0.088].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The influenza vaccine reduced major cardiovascular events in patients with ACS. Therefore, it should be encouraged as a secondary prevention in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand. apromint@mail.med.cmu.ac.th
authors.forename: Arintaya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Phrommintikul
authors.forename: Srun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuanprasert
authors.forename: Wanwarang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wongcharoen
authors.forename: Rungsrit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanjanavanit
authors.forename: Romanee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaiwarith
authors.forename: Apichard
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sukonthasarn
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000517:prevention & control; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D007252:Influenza Vaccines