Introduction: We estimated influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) to prevent laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations in patients 18 years old or older during the 2010-2011 influenza season.
Methods: We conducted a prospective case-control study in five hospitals, in Valencia, Spain. Study subjects were consecutive emergency hospitalizations for predefined conditions associated with an influenza-like illness episode <8 days before admission. Patients were considered immunized if vaccinated ≥14 days before influenza-like illness onset. Cases were those with a real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive for influenza and controls were RT-PCR positive for other respiratory viruses. Adjusted IVE was estimated as 100×(1-adjusted odds ratio). To account for indication bias we computed adjusted IVE for respiratory syncytial virus related hospitalizations.
Results: Of 826 eligible hospitalized patients, 102 (12%) were influenza positive and considered cases, and 116 (14%) were positive for other respiratory viruses and considered controls. Adjusted IVE was 54% (95% confidence interval, 11-76%). By subgroup, adjusted IVE was 53% (4-77%) for those with high-risk conditions, 59% (16-79%) for those ≥60 years of age, and, 54% (4-79%) for those ≥60 years of age with high-risk conditions. No influenza vaccine effect was observed against respiratory syncytial virus related hospitalization.
Conclusion: Influenza vaccination was associated with a significant reduction on the risk of confirmed influenza hospitalization, irrespective of age and high-risk conditions.
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