Influenza disease burden and the need for highly immunogenic vaccines in older adults: a narrative review
Influenza presents a considerable disease burden, particularly among adults over 65 years old. In this population, the disease is associated with high rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality. The objective of this study was to as...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Ewha Womans University College of Medicine
2024-07-01
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| Series: | The Ewha Medical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.e-emj.org/archive/view_article?pid=emj-47-3-35 |
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| Summary: | Influenza presents a considerable disease burden, particularly among adults over
65 years old. In this population, the disease is associated with high rates of
infection, hospitalization, and mortality. The objective of this study was to
assess the impact of influenza on older adults and to evaluate the effectiveness
of influenza vaccines within this demographic. A literature search was conducted
using PubMed to identify relevant English-language studies published from
January 2000 to January 2024. The analysis indicated that influenza-related
hospitalization rates (ranging from 10.1 to 308.3 per 100,000 persons) and
all-cause excess mortality rates (1.1 to 228.2 per 100,000 persons) were notably
high in older adults, although these rates varied over time and by location.
Hospitalization rates due to influenza increased considerably after the age of
50 years, with the highest rates observed in individuals aged 85 years and
older. Excess mortality attributable to influenza also rose with age, with rates
between 17.9 and 223.5 per 100,000 persons in those over 75 years old. The
effectiveness of influenza vaccines in preventing severe infections requiring
hospitalization was found to be only 37% in individuals aged 65 years and older.
The unadjuvanted, standard-dose influenza vaccine had an estimated effectiveness
of just 25% against laboratory-confirmed influenza and between 37% and 43.7% in
preventing hospitalizations. Therefore, considering the substantial burden of
influenza and the limited efficacy of standard vaccines, the use of highly
immunogenic influenza vaccines should be prioritized for older adults. |
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| ISSN: | 2234-2591 |