Heart failure patients who receive the influenza vaccination may reduce their risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, according to new research.
Researchers evaluated nationwide registry data on all heart failure patients (n = 134,048) in Denmark aged older than 18 years who were diagnosed between Jan. 1, 2003, and June 1, 2015. Median follow-up time was 3.7 years. During the course of the study, vaccination coverage ranged from 16% to 54%.
Flu shots improve survival in heart failure patients https://t.co/IevVMAmNMD
— Jeffrey Michel (@jbmicel) December 11, 2018
In unadjusted analyses, patients had an increased risk of death if they received one or more vaccinations during follow-up. However, in adjusted analysis (for inclusion date, comorbidities, medications, household income, and education level), patients who received one or more vaccinations had an 18% reduced mortality risk—both all-cause (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.84; P<0.001) and CVD (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.81-0.84; P<0.001). Patients who received their vaccinations every year, were vaccinated earlier in the season (September to October), and had a greater cumulative number of vaccinations had lower mortality rates compared to those who received sporadic vaccines.
Influenza Vaccine in Heart Failure: Cumulative Number of Vaccinations, Frequency, Timing, and Survival: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study | Circulation https://t.co/p0waHWOX6J Yet another reason to get your flu shot.
— Nadia Sutton (@nadia_sutton) December 11, 2018
During a mean follow-up of 3.7 years, 58% of the study cohort died due to any cause, and over a mean 3.3 years, 36% suffered cardiovascular-related mortality.
The study results were published in Circulation.
The researchers could not prove a causal link between the vaccine and survival, but the researchers still believe the results should encourage cardiologists to have their patients vaccinated.
#cbridge #flushot tied to #heartfailure Survival: Early and consistent #flu #vaccination associated with bigger risk difference: https://t.co/ogRw7ZobYc ongoing #research on best #vaccine for #prevention of… https://t.co/1jQ2La9ebA
— Dr Pandey Cardiology (@Dr_Pandey_Heart) December 12, 2018
“Influenza immunization is inexpensive, quick, and I don’t think that cardiologists can do anything else to benefit their patients that has the immediate impact that influenza vaccination does or is as cheap. So I think every cardiologist ought to be doing this, starting the day after this paper is published,” William Schaffner, MD, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, told MedPage Today.
#Flu Shot Tied to Heart Failure Survival: Early and consistent #vaccination associated with bigger risk difference via @medpagetoday https://t.co/7rf20Vlqz1 #GetVaccinated to help #FightFlu pic.twitter.com/a5IbFdU4SB
— NFID (@NFIDVaccines) December 12, 2018
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Sources: Circulation, MedPage Today
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