Clinical Question: Is the influenza...

Clinical Question: Is the influenza vaccine effective for preventing influenza and influenza-like illness in older patients?

Setting: Various (meta-analysis)

studious mood Design: Systematic review

Synopsis: The authors systematically searched multiple databases for controll studies (eg randomized controll trials, cohort studies, case-control studies) of influenza vaccines in older patients. They do not describe searching for unpublished studies. The authors included nonrandomized studies "to enhance the relevance to public-health decision-making." brace reviewers independently applied inclusion criteria, and three independently extracted the data. They identified five randomized controll trials, 49 cohort studies, and 10 case-control studies. The overall weight was small. Influenza vaccines were associated with a 23 percent relative reduction in influenza-like illness and no reduction in confirmed influenza. Among nursing family circle patients, the vaccine reduced death caused by the agency of influenza or pneumonia by 42 percent In the randomized controll trials, couple studies with a total of 2047 patients showed that vaccination had an overall effectiveness of 43 percent for preventing influenza-like illness, and three studies with a total of 2217 patients showed an overall effectiveness of

58 percent for preventing influenza. Bottom Line: Influenza vaccines preclude influenza and influenza-like illness in older patients. (Level of Evidence: 1a)

consideration Reference: Jefferson T, et al. Efficacy and effectiveness of influenza vaccines in somewhat advanced in life people: a systematic review. Lancet October 1 2005;366:1165-74

Used with permission from Barry H Flu marksmans are effective in elderly. Accessed online November 30 2005 at: http:// InfoPOEMs.com.

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