High-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines found to provide better protection for seniors

High-dose and adjuvanted influenza (flu) vaccines boosted safety towards flu signs and hospitalization for individuals 65 years and older through the 2022–2023 flu season in comparison with the usual flu vaccine.

The research “Comparative effectiveness of licensed influenza vaccines in stopping influenza-related medical encounters and hospitalizations within the 2022-2023 influenza season amongst adults ≥65 years of age” was printed on Aug. 21, 2024, in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

“Our analysis confirmed that there have been benefits for older individuals to obtain high-dose or adjuvanted flu vaccines over the usual vaccine,” mentioned Jennifer Ku, Ph.D., MPH, an infectious illness epidemiologist with the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation.

“While seasonal variation exists, it’s anticipated that seniors will proceed to profit from flu vaccines which might be stronger than the standard standard-dose vaccines.”

Vaccination is one of the best ways to forestall flu and cut back the severity of flu signs. Typically, flu vaccines are made by incubating the viruses in rooster eggs.

To enhance flu vaccine efficiency and its manufacturing, high-dose, adjuvanted, and recombinant vaccines turned accessible. The high-dose vaccine is 4 instances higher-dose than common flu vaccines, whereas adjuvanted vaccines have a further ingredient to spice up the immune system. Recombinant vaccines are produced utilizing recombinant know-how that doesn’t depend on eggs within the manufacturing course of; they weren’t extensively administered inside Kaiser Permanente in Southern California and so weren’t included on this research.

In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made a advice to make use of high-dose, adjuvanted, or recombinant vaccines over commonplace dose vaccines for adults aged 65 years and older. Individuals on this age group are at elevated threat for extreme sickness, hospitalization, and loss of life resulting from flu.

The research included almost a half-million individuals aged 65 years and older who obtained a number of doses of flu vaccine through the 2022–2023 flu season. As in comparison with commonplace dose flu vaccine, the vaccine effectiveness of high-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccine towards hospitalization for flu was estimated as 25% and 62%, respectively. As in comparison with commonplace dose flu vaccine, the vaccine effectiveness of high-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccine towards well being care visits for flu was estimated at 9% and 17%, respectively.

“This was the primary real-world research to check high-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines to the extra conventional standard-dose egg-based vaccines after the preferential advice was made by ACIP,” mentioned the senior creator on the paper, Hung Fu Tseng, Ph.D., MPH, a senior scientist with the Department of Research & Evaluation.

“Our research findings help ACIP’s advice to vaccinate seniors with high-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines.”