Abstract
Introduction: The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has changed the awareness of preventive measures both among COPD and entire population. The worldwide recommendations advise that COPD patients have to undergo immunization against seasonal flu.
The aim of the research was to examine the rate and the influence of the coronavirus pandemic to immunization against seasonal flu in prevention of acute exacerbations.
Method: Research included ten year period (2011 - 2020) at Institute of Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina (Serbia). The rates and effects of vaccination against flu were evaluated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results: The immunization against flu took 322 of 1000 randomized COPD patients (32.2 %) in analyzed period. The level of immunization was very small (average 19.6 % from 100 analyzed) in the beginning of period (2011-2013). After, it was the stabile value of the average of 32.5 % from 2014-2019. But there was a significant jump to 68/100 in 2020. Most of vaccinated patients were in group ≥65 year old with average of 84.8 % (2011-2016). There was softly decreasing line to 67.9 % (2019). In 2020, almost every second vaccinated COPD patient was younger than 65 year old. Vaccinated patients ≥65 year old had fewer exacerbations compared to nonvaccinated (127 (39.4%) vs. 279 (69.5%), p=0.017). Multivariate analysis identified the pandemic of coronavirus (RR 1.542; 95% CI (0.986 - 2.341); p=0.024) as independent predictor of immunization among COPD patients.
Conclusion: Pandemic of coronavirus infection has influence of very high vaccination rate among all COPD patients.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA928.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021