Flu shot not effective in preventing flu-related hospitalizations in asthmatic children

[Celebration]

http://www.physorg.com/news161971715.html

In order to determine whether the vaccine was effective in reducing the number of hospitalizations that all children, and especially the ones with asthma, faced over eight consecutive flu seasons, the researchers conducted a cohort study of 263 children who were evaluated at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota from six months to 18 years of age, each of whom had had laboratory-confirmed influenza between 1996 to 2006. The investigators determined who had and had not received the flu vaccine, their asthma status and who did and did not require hospitalization. Records were reviewed for each subject with influenza-related illness for flu vaccination preceding the illness and hospitalization during that illness.

They found that children who had received the flu vaccine had three times the risk of hospitalization, as compared to children who had not received the vaccine. In asthmatic children, there was a significantly higher risk of hospitalization in subjects who received the TIV, as compared to those who did not (p= 0.006). But no other measured factors—such as insurance plans or severity of asthma—appeared to affect risk of hospitalization.

"While these findings do raise questions about the efficacy of the vaccine, they do not in fact implicate it as a cause of hospitalizations," said Dr. Joshi. "More studies are needed to assess not only the immunogenicity, but also the efficacy of different influenza vaccines in asthmatic subjects."

Really, Dr. Joshi?

[hedgehog]

1. How much higher was the risk?

How long before the hospitalization were the children immunized? Was there a possibility of infection prior to immunization? Was the influenza virus the same one covered by that year's immunization? Is it possible that children who previously had reacted poorly to viral infections were more likely to be immunized?

If asthmatics do not gain protection from immunization, what does this say about immunizing people in contact with the asthmatics?

[Why Syzygy]

2. When has the flu vaccine

ever matched the flu outbreak? I thought never.

[Celebration]

3. Probably they need to

Uh, you know, shut down these scientific studies on efficacy. The "kid" crowd is just too big of a market to leave out of the mix. Let's just go with the gut here--VACCINATE (OR YOU ARE A BAD, BAD PARENT)!! Hey, that could work....

[Why Syzygy]

4. My sister's two boys

are sick all the time. But they get their flu shot!!

[hedgehog]

7. This illustrates the problem with anecdotal information.

You are implying that they are sick all the time because they get a flu shot. I would suggest that since they do tend to pick up every virus in circulation, your sister makes the effort to get them immunized in hopes that at least they won't get that infection!

[Why Syzygy]

10. I thought you might say that.

The anecdote is that they were as healthy as any other before she started the shots.
SHE was the one that was puny as a child, and that makes her over cautious, and not just with flu shots.

[trotsky]

11. And my two kids always get flu shots...

and they're healthy as horses!

Go figure!

[xchrom]

5. let's see how often unvaccinated asthmatics are hospitalized when surrounded by unvaccinated people.

and then compare the two studies.

[hedgehog]

9. Without having reference to the actual study, it is difficult to

judge whether the study design was adequate to come up with useful answers. This study was presented at a conference and was not subject to peer review as far as I can tell.Even IF the flu vaccine is not directly effective for asthmatics because it doesn't "take", this study doesn't seem to offer any data regarding vaccinating the non-asthmatics around the children to prevent exposing the children to the virus.

[hedgehog]

8. It's a bit of a crap shoot - check out which varieties of virus are

circulating in Southern China in the Spring and predict what will be circulating in the Northern Hemisphere six months later. Generally, the predictions are pretty good although there are always some small amounts of virus not in the vaccine in circulation.

[uppityperson]

12. Sometimes they hit it right on, sometimes not. Predicting the future is difficult since influenza vi

virus mutates so rapidly.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

6. What were they admitted to the hospital for?

[mizz pibb]

13. Wow, knock me over with a feather!

:wow:

[uppityperson]

14. right into the grave. and it's not even the weekend

what, are you home sick?

[varkam]

15. Hi & Bye!

:rofl:

[Why Syzygy]

16. kick