For many years, the elderly have been told that a simple flu
shot could keep them safe against pneumonia. It seems the benefic result in
their case has been overrated, according to a study published in the August
issue of the journal The Lancet.
More exactly, some seniors getting the flu shot might not be
much protected against the virus compared to those who choose to not have it at
all, Michael Jackson, lead author of the study and former postdoctoral fellow
at Seattle’s Group Health
Center for Health Studies
said.
“Basically, its been taken for granted for a decade that
this vaccine is effective in all seniors. We’re starting to find out maybe
that’s not the case,” Dr. Jackson said.
More than 3 million develop pneumonia annually in the US and more
than 60,000 Americans die from the disease - an inflammation of the lungs
that’s usually caused by infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi or other
organisms. At increased risk are older adults and people with chronic illnesses
or weakened immune systems, but it can also strike young, healthy people.
Worldwide it’s a leading cause of death in children. Pneumonia is the sixth
leading cause of death in the US.
For the study, Dr. Jackson and his team analyzed 3,519
seniors between 65 and 94 over the course of three flu seasons to determine the
efficiency of the vaccine. Some 1,173 of the people had pneumonia while the
other 2,346 people did not have it. The researchers did not find strong
evidence that the vaccine helped prevent against pneumonia. More exactly, the
vaccinated seniors who caught the flu were as likely to develop pneumonia as
unvaccinated seniors who caught the flu. Previous studies have suggested that
the flu shot reduces the risk of pneumonia in seniors by 20 to 30 percent.
However, Dr. Jackson said the study should encourage seniors
to not get vaccinated. Instead, he said there is room for more improvement of
the flu shot in order to fit seniors who may not benefit from it such as higher
doses or a different formulation.
“Despite our findings and even though immune responses are
known to decline with age, I still want my grandmother to keep getting the flu
vaccine. It is safe, so it is worth getting, even if it might lower the risk of
pneumonia and death only slightly,” he said.
The vaccine is still worth having because it reduces the
risk of getting the flu, which might have serious consequences in the elderly
whose body has to fight with other conditions coming with the age as well.
“It should not deter people from getting the flu vaccine because influenza
is an unpleasant illness in itself and the vaccine is particularly important
for elderly people with chronic diseases who have a weakened immune system and
are susceptible to developing pneumonia."
