Relative Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccines Among the United States Elderly, 2018–2019. (26th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Izurieta, Hector S; Chillarige, Yoganand; Kelman, Jeffrey; Wei, Yuqin; Lu, Yun; Xu, Wenjie; Lu, Michael; Pratt, Douglas; Wernecke, Michael; MaCurdy, Thomas; Forshee, Richard
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 222:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 278
• Page End: 287
• Publication Date: 2020-02-26
• Subjects: cell-cultured vaccine -- high-dose vaccine -- influenza vaccine -- vaccine effectiveness; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa080
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Studies among individuals ages ≥65 years have found a moderately higher relative vaccine effectiveness (RVE) for the high-dose (HD) influenza vaccine compared with standard-dose (SD) products for most seasons. Studies during the A(H3N2)-dominated 2017–2018 season showed slightly higher RVE for the cell-cultured vaccine compared with SD egg-based vaccines. We investigated the RVE of influenza vaccines among Medicare beneficiaries ages ≥65 years during the 2018–2019 season. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using inverse probability of treatment weighting and Poisson regression to evaluate RVE in preventing influenza hospital encounters. Results: Among 12 777 214 beneficiaries, the egg-based adjuvanted (RVE, 7.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9%–11.4%) and HD (RVE, 4.9%; 95% CI, 1.7%–8.1%) vaccines were marginally more effective than the egg-based quadrivalent vaccines. The cell-cultured quadrivalent vaccine was not significantly more effective than the egg-based quadrivalent vaccine (RVE, 2.5%; 95% CI, −2.4% to 7.3%). Conclusions: We did not find major effectiveness differences between licensed vaccines used among the elderly during the 2018–2019 season. Consistent with prior research, we found that the egg-based adjuvanted and HD vaccines were slightly more effective than the egg-based quadrivalent vaccines. Abstract : In this investigation of the relative vaccine effectiveness of influenza vaccines among Medicare beneficiaries ages >65 years during the 2018–19 season, we found that the egg-based adjuvanted and high-dose vaccines were slightly more effective than the egg-based quadrivalent vaccines.