Waning protection of influenza vaccination during four influenza seasons, 2011/2012 to 2014/2015

BACKGROUND

Concerns have been raised about intraseasonal waning of the protection conferred by influenza vaccination.

METHODS

During four influenza seasons, we consecutively recruited individuals aged 18years or older who had received seasonal influenza vaccine and were subsequently admitted to the hospital for influenza infection, asassessed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We estimated the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of influenza infection by date of vaccination, defined by tertiles, as early, intermediate or late vaccination. We used a test-negative approach with early vaccination as reference to estimate the aOR of hospital admission with influenza among late vaccinees. We conducted sensitivity analyses by means of conditional logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards regression, and using days between vaccination and hospital admission rather than vaccination date.

RESULTS

Among 3615 admitted vaccinees, 822 (23%) were positive for influenza. We observed a lower risk of influenza among late vaccinees during the 2011/2012 and 2014/2015A(H3N2)-dominant seasons: aOR=0.68 (95% CI: 0.47-1.00) and 0.69 (95% CI: 0.50-0.95). We found no differences in the risk of admission with influenza among late versus early vaccinees in the 2012/2013A(H1N1)pdm09-dominant or 2013/2014B/Yamagata lineage-dominant seasons: aOR=1.18 (95% CI: 0.58-2.41) and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.56-1.72). When we restricted our analysis to individuals aged 65years or older, we found a statistically significant lower risk of admission with influenza among late vaccinees during the 2011/2012 and 2014/2015A(H3N2)-dominant seasons: aOR=0.61 (95% CI: 0.41-0.91) and 0.69 (95% CI: 0.49-0.96). We observed 39% (95% CI: 9-59%) and 31% (95% CI: 5-50%) waning of vaccine effectiveness among participants aged 65years or older during the two A(H3N2)-dominant seasons. Similar results were obtained in the sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

Waning of vaccine protection was observed among individuals aged 65years old or over in two A(H3N2)-dominant influenza seasons.

A randomized clinical trial to determine the effect of angiotensin inhibitors reduction on creatinine clearance and haemoglobin in heart failure patients with chronic kidney disease and anaemia

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease is a common comorbidity in elderly patients with heart failure. Evidence supports the use of angiotensin inhibitors for patients with heart failure. However, there is little evidence with which to assess the risk and benefits of this treatment in elderly patients with renal dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy and safety of angiotensin inhibitor reduction in patients with heart failure, chronic kidney disease and anaemia.

STUDY DESIGN

Open randomized controlled clinical trial.

SETTING

Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (Spain).

PATIENTS

Patients ≥ 50 years old, with heart failure, haemoglobin (Hb) < 12 mg/dl and creatinine clearance <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) admitted to hospital, in treatment with angiotensin inhibitors. Informed consent and Ethical Review Board approval were obtained.

INTERVENTION

A 50% reduction of angiotensin inhibitor dose of the basal treatment on admission (n = 30) in the intervention group. Control group (n = 16) with the standard basal dose.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Primary outcome was difference in Hb (gr/dl), creatinine clearance (ml/min/1.73 m(2) ) and protein C (mg/dl) between admission and 1-3 months after discharge. Secondary outcome was survival at 6-12 months after discharge.

RESULTS

Patients in the intervention group experienced an improvement in Hb (10.62-11.47 g/dl), creatinine clearance (32.5 ml/min/1.73 m(2) to 42.9 ml/min/1.73 m(2) ), and a decrease in creatinine levels (1.98-1.68 mg/dl) and protein C (3.23 mg/dl to 1.37 mg/dl). There were no significant differences in these variables in the control group. Survival at 6 and 12 months in the intervention and control group was 86.7% vs. 75% and 69.3% vs. 50%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The reduction of the dose of angiotensin inhibitors in the intervention group resulted in an improvement in anaemia and kidney function, decreased protein C and an increased survival rate.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

EudraCT: 2008-008480-10.

Effectiveness of the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine in preventing confirmed influenza hospitalizations in adults: a case-case comparison, case-control study

Introduction

We estimated influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) to prevent laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations in patients 18 years old or older during the 2010–2011 influenza season.

Methods

We conducted a prospective case-control study in five hospitals, in Valencia, Spain. Study subjects were consecutive emergency hospitalizations for predefined conditions associated with an influenza-like illness episode <8 days before admission. Patients were considered immunized if vaccinated ≥14 days before influenza-like illness onset. Cases were those with a real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive for influenza and controls were RT-PCR positive for other respiratory viruses. Adjusted IVE was estimated as 100 × (1 − adjusted odds ratio). To account for indication bias we computed adjusted IVE for respiratory syncytial virus related hospitalizations.

Results

Of 826 eligible hospitalized patients, 102 (12%) were influenza positive and considered cases, and 116 (14%) were positive for other respiratory viruses and considered controls. Adjusted IVE was 54% (95% confidence interval, 11–76%). By subgroup, adjusted IVE was 53% (4–77%) for those with high-risk conditions, 59% (16–79%) for those ≥60 years of age, and, 54% (4–79%) for those ≥60 years of age with high-risk conditions. No influenza vaccine effect was observed against respiratory syncytial virus related hospitalization.

Conclusion

Influenza vaccination was associated with a significant reduction on the risk of confirmed influenza hospitalization, irrespective of age and high-risk conditions.

[Evaluation of cardiovascular risk in the cross-sectional phase of the Mediterranean Study]

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The Mediterranean study quantifies high cardiovascular risk (HCR), consistency between REGICOR (R) and low risk SCORE (LS) scales, altered blood pressure (ABP) values in hypercholesterolemia (HC) without any history of hypertension (HT), high total cholesterol (HTC) values with HT with no background of HC and cardiac and renal damage in hypertensive patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A national, cross-sectional and multicenter study was performed with the participation of 751 physicians. The physicians individually evaluated 7,973 patients with HT and 5,319 with HC. HCR was defined as over 10% with R and 5% with LS. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Pearson coefficient (r) were calculated. The percentages of ABP and HTC were quantified. Creatinine (cr) value, glomerular filtration rate using Cockroft-Gault (CG), and prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Regarding hypertensive patients: 17.3% HCR with R and 26.1% with LS. ICC = 0.222 (p < 0.0001), r = 0.61 (p < 0.0001), 64.7% HTC. There was no evaluation of LVH in 31.2% and a prevalence of 5.1%, prevalence of lesion and kidney failure (KF) of 4.7% and 1.6% respectively based on CR and 15.9% KF by CG. In HC patients, there was 21.1% of HCR with R and 21.5% with LS; ICC = 0.190 (p < 0.0001), r = 0.64 (p < 0.0001) and 33.7% ABP.

CONCLUSIONS

The SCORE scale identifies more patients with HCR than the REGICOR one in HT patients and a similar amount in HC patients. Consistency between both scales is poor. A significant ABP/HTC was found. In HT patients, the patients who were not evaluated for LVH and the percentage of KF are important.

Prevalence of low HDL cholesterol, and relationship between serum HDL and cardiovascular disease in elderly Spanish population: the PREV-ICTUS study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration and the relationship between HDL-C and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) in an elderly Mediterranean population.

METHODS

Analysis of Prevención del Riesgo de Ictus, a population-based study on Spanish subjects aged > or = 60 years. Low HDL-C was defined following the European guidelines for cardiovascular prevention [men: < 40 mg/dl (< 1.0 mmol/l); women: < 46 mg/dl (< 1.2 mmol/l)]. The relationship between low HDL-C or HDL-C concentration (in quintiles) and CVD was assessed through multivariate models that included cardiovascular risk factors, statins and subclinical organ damage.

RESULTS

On 6010 subjects (71.7 years, 53.5% women), low HDL-C was present in 17.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 16.5-18.5] and was more frequent in women [20.4% (19.0-21.8) vs. 14.1% (12.8-15.4) in men p < 0.001] and in patients with diabetes, CVD or statin therapy. Low HDL-C was independently associated with CVD [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.46, 95% CI: 1.22-1.74, p < 0.001]. The prevalence of CVD was higher as HDL-C concentration was lower (chi-square trend < 0.001). Compared with the highest quintile [> 65 mg/dl (> 1.67 mmol/l)], adjusted OR for CVD were 1.39 (1.10-1.76), 1.41 (1.11-1.80), 1.49 (1.18-1.89) and 1.91 (1.52-2.39), respectively for those in the fourth [57-65 mg/dl (1.46-1.67 mmol/l)], third [51-56 mg/dl (1.31-1.45 mmol/l)], second [46-50 mg/dl (1.18-1.30 mmol/l)] and first [< 46 mg/dl (< 1.18 mmol/l)] quintiles of HDL-C. This association was seen in males and females.

CONCLUSIONS

A total of 17.5% of this Spanish population aged > or = 60 years had low HDL-C. We found a strong, independent and inverse association between HDL-C concentrations and established CVD, even at ranges of HDL-C considered as normal.

[Inter-professional relationship between primary health care (PHC) and secondary care (hospital) in 1992 and 2000. A Delphi study]

AIM

To evaluate the trends in the inter-professional relationship between primary health care (PHC) and secondary care (hospital) at 2 different moments of the health reform, at its start in 1992 and after a phase of consolidation (2001).

DESIGN

Observational study based on modified Delphi technique.

SETTING

Valencia Community, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred and ninety six professionals from Valencia Community were selected (103 PH centre administrators, 43 hospital and PC medical directors, and 50 heads of internal medicine or emergency services).

RESULTS

One hundred and ninety six questionnaires were sent out, with a response rate of 38%. In PHC problems remained the same, but the following got worse: "lack of motivation" (+1.34), "lack of overall vision of patients" (+1.10), and "overuse of medical services" (+1.06). The existence of non-integrated out-patient specialists got better (-1.32). In hospitals, "lack of overall vision of patients" got worse (+0.51), but in general problems got better, especially in "lack of communication and dialogue" (-1.14). PC increased its demand for "a single computerized clinical record" (+1.50), drawing up of common protocols (+0.86), and periodic rotations of PC doctors through hospitals (+0.85), but bureaucratic referrals to PC (-0.60) and the need for specialists in PC as consultants (-0.36) diminished. In hospitals all solutions showed lower scores, particularly access of PC doctors to monitoring of admitted patients (-2.44) and PC doctors doing hospital cover (-2.30).

CONCLUSIONS

Problems and solutions from PHC and hospitals remain the same, but there is a trend to the worse in PHC, whereas in hospitals the trend is more positive.

[Validity of clinical records and information systems in studies of health-care delivery in primary care]

OBJECTIVES

To examine how well the clinical process was recorded in the clinical history (CH), and care delivery on the activity sheet (AS). To assemble a series of recommendations on the validity of these documents for recording health care delivery.

DESIGN

Multi-centred, observational, and cross-sectonal study.

SETTING

Four medical clinics at 12 health centres in the Community of Valencia, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

There were 2051 attendances, with 284 CH and 407 AS involved. Main measurements and results. The information recorded by doctors in the CH and on the AS was validated by external observers who collected directly at the consultation the working day's entire care activity. The following was analysed: 1) in the CH, filling out of the "SOAP" form (basic info.); 2) on the AS, mean per professional per day of scheduled and on-demand patients, home visits and length of consultations; 3) information in the documents validated on the organisation of consultations; 4) analysis of care delivery according to how predictable it is and its clinical content; 5) clinical practice guidelines with validity and clinical usefulness indicators and reliability index (kappa).

CONCLUSIONS

The documents validated do not properly reflect the reality of health care demand. There was an under-recording bias and validity problems that may limit their usefulness as sources of information for health care planning and management.