[en] Existing literature on the association between influenza vaccination and COVID-19 infection/outcomes is conflicting. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between influenza vaccination and COVID-19 outcomes in a large cohort of adults who participated in the SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe). Information regarding influenza vaccination in the previous year, and medical and demographic characteristics, were self-reported. Positivity for COVID-19, symptomatology, and hospitalization were also ascertained using self-reported information. An adjusted logistic regression analysis (including 15 baseline factors or propensity score) was used to assess the association between influenza vaccination and COVID-19 outcomes. A total of 48,408 participants (mean age 67 years; 54.1% females) were included. The prevalence of influenza vaccination was 38.3%. After adjusting for 15 potential confounders, influenza vaccination was significantly associated with a lower risk of positivity for COVID-19 (OR = 0.95; p < 0.0001), symptomatic forms (OR = 0.87; p < 0.0001), and hospitalization for COVID-19 (OR = 0.95; p < 0.0001). The results were similar when using a propensity score approach. In conclusion, influenza vaccination may be beneficial for the prevention of COVID-19, as the present study found that influenza vaccination was associated with a small/moderate lower risk of COVID-19 infection and adverse outcomes.
Disciplines :
Public health, health care sciences & services
Author, co-author :
Veronese, Nicola ; Geriatric Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Smith, Lee ; Center for Health, Performance and Wellbeing, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PTT, UK
Di Gennaro, Francesco ; Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
Bruyère, Olivier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unité de recherche Santé publique, épidémiologie et économie de la santé (URSAPES)
Yang, Lin ; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Cancer Care Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada ; Departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Demurtas, Jacopo; Primary Care Department, Azienda USL Toscana Sud Est, 52100 Grosseto, Italy ; Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy
Maggi, Stefania ; Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, 00185 Padova, Italy
Sabico, Shaun ; Chair for Biomarkers of Chronic Diseases, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Al-Daghri, Nasser ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Santé publique, Epidémiologie et Economie de la santé ; Chair for Biomarkers of Chronic Diseases, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Barbagallo, Mario ; Geriatric Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Dominguez, Ligia J; Geriatric Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Kore, 94100 Enna, Italy
Koyanagi, Ai; Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu/CIBERSAM, ISCIII, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, 08014 Barcelona, Spain ; ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
Language :
English
Title :
Influenza Vaccination and COVID-19 Outcomes in People Older than 50 Years: Data from the Observational Longitudinal SHARE Study.
Funding: The authors are grateful to the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University for funding this research project through Vice Deanship of Scientific Research Chairs. The SHARE data collection has been funded by the European Commission through FP5 (QLK6-CT-2001-00360), FP6 (SHARE-I3: RII-CT-2006-062193, COMPARE: CIT5-CT-2005-028857, SHARELIFE: CIT4-CT-2006-028812), FP7 (SHARE-PREP: GA N◦211909, SHARE-LEAP: GA N◦227822, SHARE M4: GA N◦261982, DASISH: GA N◦283646) and Horizon 2020 (SHARE-DEV3: GA N◦676536, SHARE-COHESION: GA N◦870628, SERISS: GA N◦654221, SSHOC: GA N◦823782) and by DG Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion. Additional funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (U01_AG09740-13S2, P01_AG005842, P01_AG08291, P30_AG12815, R21_AG025169, Y1-AG-4553-01, IAG_BSR06-11, OGHA_04-064, and HHSN271201300071C) and from various national funding sources is gratefully acknowledged (see www.share-project.org, accessed 7 May 2022).
WHO. Weekly Operational Update on COVID-19; Issue No. 97. Available online: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-operational-update-on-covid-19---30-march-2022#.YkwrvaHCh8g.link (accessed on 30 March 2022).
Lloyd-Sherlock, P.G.; Kalache, A.; McKee, M.; Derbyshire, J.; Geffen, L.; Casas, F.G.-O.; Gutierrez, L.M. WHO must prioritise the needs of older people in its response to the covid-19 pandemic. BMJ 2020, 368, m1164. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Onder, G.; Rezza, G.; Brusaferro, S. Case-fatality rate and characteristics of patients dying in relation to COVID-19 in Italy. JAMA 2020, 18, 1775–1776. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Harder, T.; Külper-Schiek, W.; Reda, S.; Treskova-Schwarzbach, M.; Koch, J.; Vygen-Bonnet, S.; Wichmann, O. Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Delta (B. 1.617. 2) variant: Second interim results of a living systematic review and meta-analysis, 1 January to 25 August 2021. Eurosurveillance 2021, 26, 2100920.
Ma, S.; Lai, X.; Chen, Z.; Tu, S.; Qin, K. Clinical characteristics of critically ill patients co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the influenza virus in Wuhan, China. Int. J. Infect. Dis. 2020, 96, 683–687. [CrossRef]
Noale, M.; Trevisan, C.; Maggi, S.; Antonelli Incalzi, R.; Pedone, C.; Di Bari, M.; Adorni, F.; Jesuthasan, N.; Sojic, A.; Galli, M. The association between influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations and SARS-Cov-2 infection: Data from the EPICOVID19 web-based survey. Vaccines 2020, 8, 471. [CrossRef]
Giacomelli, A.; Galli, M.; Maggi, S.; Noale, M.; Trevisan, C.; Pagani, G.; Antonelli-Incalzi, R.; Molinaro, S.; Bastiani, L.; Cori, L. Influenza Vaccination Uptake in the General Italian Population during the 2020–2021 Flu Season: Data from the EPICOVID-19 Online Web-Based Survey. Vaccines 2022, 10, 293. [CrossRef]
Maltezou, H.C.; Theodoridou, K.; Poland, G. Influenza immunization and COVID-19. Vaccine 2020, 38, 6078. [CrossRef]
Veronese, N.; Vassallo, G.; Armata, M.; Cilona, L.; Casalicchio, S.; Masnata, R.; Costantino, C.; Vitale, F.; Giammanco, G.M.; Maggi, S.; et al. Multidimensional Frailty and Vaccinations in Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study. Vaccines 2022, 10, 555. [CrossRef]
Belingheri, M.; Paladino, M.; Latocca, R.; De Vito, G.; Riva, M. Association between seasonal flu vaccination and COVID-19 among healthcare workers. Occup. Med. 2020, 70, 665–671. [CrossRef]
Marín-Hernández, D.; Schwartz, R.E.; Nixon, D.F. Epidemiological evidence for association between higher influenza vaccine uptake in the elderly and lower COVID-19 deaths in Italy. J. Med. Virol. 2020, 93, 64–65. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Del Riccio, M.; Lorini, C.; Bonaccorsi, G.; Paget, J.; Caini, S. The association between influenza vaccination and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe illness, and death: A systematic review of the literature. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 7870. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Su, W.; Wang, H.; Sun, C.; Li, N.; Guo, X.; Song, Q.; Liang, Q.; Liang, M.; Ding, X.; Sun, Y. The Association Between Previous Influenza Vaccination and Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection Risk and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am. J. Prev. Med. 2022; in press. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Wang, R.; Liu, M.; Liu, J. The association between influenza vaccination and COVID-19 and its outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Vaccines 2021, 9, 529. [CrossRef]
Börsch-Supan, A.; Brandt, M.; Hunkler, C.; Kneip, T.; Korbmacher, J.; Malter, F.; Schaan, B.; Stuck, S.; Zuber, S. Data resource profile: The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Int. J. Epidemiol. 2013, 42, 992–1001. [CrossRef]
Scherpenzeel, A.; Axt, K.; Bergmann, M.; Douhou, S.; Oepen, A.; Sand, G.; Schuller, K.; Stuck, S.; Wagner, M.; Börsch-Supan, A. Collecting survey data among the 50+ population during the COVID-19 outbreak: The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Surv. Res. Methods 2020, 14, 217–221.
Arnault, L.; Jusot, F.; Renaud, T. Economic vulnerability and unmet healthcare needs among the population aged 50+ years during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Eur. J. Ageing 2021, 1–15. [CrossRef]
Chłoń-Domińczak, A.; Holzer-Żelażewska, D. Economic stress of people 50+ in European countries in the Covid-19 pandemic–do country policies matter? Eur. J. Ageing 2021, 1–20. [CrossRef]
Wallace, M.; Shelkey, M. Katz index of independence in activities of daily living (ADL). Urol. Nurs. 2007, 27, 93–94.
Lawton, M.P.; Brody, E.M. Assessment of older people: Self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontol. 1969, 9, 179–186. [CrossRef]
Indicators, O. Health at a Glance 2019, OECD Indicators; OECD Publishing: Paris, France, 2019.
Tramuto, F.; Mazzucco, W.; Maida, C.M.; Colomba, G.M.E.; Di Naro, D.; Coffaro, F.; Graziano, G.; Costantino, C.; Restivo, V.; Vitale, F. COVID-19 emergency in Sicily and intersection with the 2019-2020 influenza epidemic. J. Prev. Med. Hyg. 2021, 62, E10. [PubMed]
Domnich, A.; Cambiaggi, M.; Vasco, A.; Maraniello, L.; Ansaldi, F.; Baldo, V.; Bonanni, P.; Calabrò, G.E.; Costantino, C.; de Waure, C. Attitudes and beliefs on influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a representative Italian survey. Vaccines 2020, 8, 711. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Netea, M.G.; Domínguez-Andrés, J.; Barreiro, L.B.; Chavakis, T.; Divangahi, M.; Fuchs, E.; Joosten, L.A.; van der Meer, J.W.; Mhlanga, M.M.; Mulder, W.J. Defining trained immunity and its role in health and disease. Nat. Rev. Immunol. 2020, 20, 375–388. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Lee, C.H.; Pinho, M.P.; Buckley, P.R.; Woodhouse, I.B.; Ogg, G.; Simmons, A.; Napolitani, G.; Koohy, H. Potential CD8+ T cell cross-reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 conferred by other coronavirus strains. Front. Immunol. 2020, 11, 2878. [CrossRef]
Cardillo, F.; Bonfim, M.; da Silva Vasconcelos Sousa, P.; Mengel, J.; Ribeiro Castello-Branco, L.R.; Pinho, R.T. Bacillus Calmette– Guérin immunotherapy for cancer. Vaccines 2021, 9, 439. [CrossRef]
Debisarun, P.A.; Gössling, K.L.; Bulut, O.; Kilic, G.; Zoodsma, M.; Liu, Z.; Oldenburg, M.; Rüchel, N.; Zhang, B.; Xu, C.-J. Induction of trained immunity by influenza vaccination-impact on COVID-19. PLoS Pathog. 2021, 17, e1009928. [CrossRef]
Flerlage, T.; Boyd, D.F.; Meliopoulos, V.; Thomas, P.G.; Schultz-Cherry, S. Influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2: Pathogenesis and host responses in the respiratory tract. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 2021, 19, 425–441. [CrossRef]
Gabutti, G.; d’Anchera, E.; De Motoli, F.; Savio, M.; Stefanati, A. The epidemiological characteristics of the covid-19 pandemic in europe: Focus on Italy. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2942. [CrossRef]
Demurtas, J.; Celotto, S.; Beaudart, C.; Sanchez-Rodriguez, D.; Balci, C.; Soysal, P.; Solmi, M.; Celotto, D.; Righi, E.; Smith, L. The efficacy and safety of influenza vaccination in older people: An umbrella review of evidence from meta-analyses of both observational and randomized controlled studies. Ageing Res. Rev. 2020, 62, 101118. [CrossRef]