Rethinking risk for pneumococcal disease in adults: the role of risk stacking

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2015 Mar 20;2(1):ofv020. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofv020. eCollection 2015 Jan.

Abstract

Using data from 3 private healthcare claims repositories, we evaluated the incidence of pneumococcal disease among adults with US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) defined at-risk conditions or rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn's disease, and neuromuscular disorder/seizures and those with traditional high-risk conditions. We observed that adults with ≥2 concurrent comorbid conditions had pneumococcal disease incidence rates that were as high as or higher than rates observed in those with traditional high-risk conditions.

Keywords: Streptococcus pneumonia; comorbidity; pneumococcal infections; pneumonia.