HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Read responses to this article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in ADC Online Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Christy, C Articles by Weitzman, M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Christy, C Articles by Weitzman, M

Effectiveness of influenza vaccine for the prevention of asthma exacerbations

¹ Strong Children’s Research Center, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, USA
² Pediathink, Rochester, NY, USA
³ Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics Center for Child Health Research, USA

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr C Christy
Rochester General Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, 1425 Portland Avenue, Rochester, NY 14621-3095, USA; cynthia.christy{at}viahealth.org

Background: There is a lack of clinical evidence that annual vaccination against influenza prevents asthma exacerbations in children.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 800 children with asthma, where one half did, and the other half did not receive the influenza vaccine. The two groups were compared with respect to clinic visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalisations for asthma. In multivariable analyses, adjustment was made for baseline asthma severity, prior utilisation of health services, receipt of vaccine in the previous year, and demographic variables.

Results: After adjusting for other variables, the vaccine group had a significantly increased risk of asthma related clinic visits and ED visits (odds ratios 3.4 and 1.9, respectively).

Conclusion: This study failed to provide evidence that the influenza vaccine prevents paediatric asthma exacerbations.

Keywords: influenza vaccine; asthma; influenza vaccine; asthma; vaccination; human; retrospective studies; cohort studies

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. Carroll and R. Burkimsher Is there any evidence for influenza vaccination in children with asthma? Arch. Dis. Child., July 1, 2007; 92(7): 644 - 645. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. P. Ritzwoller, C. B. Bridges, S. Shetterly, K. Yamasaki, M. Kolczak, and E. K. France Effectiveness of the 2003-2004 Influenza Vaccine Among Children 6 Months to 8 Years of Age, With 1 vs 2 Doses Pediatrics, July 1, 2005; 116(1): 153 - 159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters: