At present, The Lancet printed the primary real-world knowledge evaluation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine efficacy amongst older US adults in a big multistate research. The research exhibits the vaccine was 80% efficient in defending towards hospitalizations and deaths throughout the 2023-2024 RSV season.
The authors stated the findings ought to encourage individuals to get vaccinated towards RSV this yr.
“No vaccine is 100% efficient. An 80 p.c vaccine effectiveness fee is kind of spectacular and better than we see, for instance, with the influenza vaccine,” stated research coauthor Brian Dixon, PhD, MPA, from Indiana College, in a press launch. “The underside line is that utilizing actual world knowledge from digital medical information routinely captured in look after individuals from various walks of life we discovered that having the vaccine was extremely protecting towards hospitalization, extreme sickness and dying.”
The research was based mostly on knowledge collected by way of the digital well being information of sufferers seen at 230 hospitals and 245 emergency departments throughout america from October 2023 by means of April 2024. The hospitals are a part of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s (CDC’s) VISION community.
73% efficient for immunocompromised adults
In complete, 28,271 hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus-like sickness had been famous amongst 60- year-olds who weren’t immunocompromised.
The authors discovered that RSV vaccination was 80% efficient in defending towards hospitalization (95% confidence interval [CI]71% to 85%) and 81% efficient towards virus-associated important sickness (intensive care unit admission, dying, or each).
Amongst 8,435 hospitalizations for RSV-like sickness amongst adults with immunocompromising situations, vaccine effectiveness was 73% towards related hospitalization
Annually, the CDC estimates that 60,000 to 160,000 RSV-associated hospitalizations and 6,000 to 10,000 RSV-associated deaths will happen amongst adults aged 65 years and older. Earlier than the introduction of the RSV vaccine final yr, RSV hospitalizations for this group value between $1.2 and $5 billion yearly.
Stopping as much as 80 p.c of hospitalizations may end in main financial savings for shoppers and the well being system.
“Stopping as much as 80 p.c of hospitalizations may end in main financial savings for shoppers and the well being system,” stated Dixon.
At the moment, the CDC recommends that every one adults over 75 be vaccinated yearly towards RSV and adults over 60 if they’re in danger for extreme illness, together with those that are overweight or have coronary heart illness, diabetes, or immune compromise.
