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Post by gerald on Oct 30, 2019 23:23:54 GMT -5
It appears the flu vaccine may have a hiccup or two in it. This outlines some of the problems. There is a complete interview with four experts available through the link at the bottom (too lengthy to bring over).
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Managing Influenza in Patients With Preexisting Respiratory Conditions
Tori Rodriguez, MA, LPC, AHC
As flu season approaches, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend influenza vaccination for all patients aged ≥6 months, with rare exceptions such as those with severe allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine.1 Individuals with preexisting respiratory diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the groups identified as having a high risk for serious influenza-related complications.2
In a multicenter study (n=4198) published in January 2019 in CHEST, higher rates of crude mortality (9.7% vs 7.9%; P =.047) and critical illness (17.2% vs 12.1%; P <.001) were found among patients with COPD with vs without influenza infection, and vaccination was associated with a 38% reduction in influenza-related hospitalizations.3 Another recent study reported higher rates of severe illness, respiratory failure, and positive fungal cultures in patients with influenza and COPD.4
The influenza virus can also cause other types of infections including pneumonia, which has been diagnosed in 30% to 40% of hospitalized patients with influenza, especially in those with certain risk factors including chronic lung disease.4,5 In addition, the virus can trigger exacerbations in patients with asthma and COPD.2,6
Taken together, such findings underscore the critical importance of vaccination and other preventive efforts in patients with chronic respiratory illness. For an in-depth discussion on the topic, Pulmonology Advisor interviewed the following experts:
Atul Malhotra, MD, board-certified pulmonologist, intensivist, professor of medicine, and chief of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of California, San Diego
William Schaffner, MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, professor of preventive medicine in the department of health policy, and professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee
Glen B. Chun, MD, assistant professor of medicine, pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, New York
Jorge M. Mercado, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine and associate section chief of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn in Brooklyn, New York
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