OBJECTIVES

To stablish the relationship between vaccination against influenza in patients with diabetes and COPD and outpatient visits, hospitalizations and mortality.

METHODS

We performed a real-world evidence analysis based on a retrospective cohort of patients, using official databases of the Colombian Ministery of Health (Sistema Integral de Información de la Protección Social -SISPRO- and Programa Ampliado de Inmunizaciones), and mortality data from the National Department of Statistics (DANE). The study covered a period of four years (2013-2016). Study population comprised vaccinated and unvaccinated adult individuals with diabetes or COPD. Three variables of health outcomes were considered: number of outpatient visits, number of hospitalizations and mortality due to respiratory causes. We used a chi-square statistic association test to determine if there was association between the variables.

RESULTS

The results of the test showed statistical significance between vaccination and lower rates of hospitalization, outpatient visits and mortality due to pneumonia. We found that people with diabetes that were vaccinated reported less hospital stays versus people without vaccination and diabetes. Mortality rate in people with COPD who were vaccinated was lower, compared with rate of people without vaccination. The variation of the vaccination against the lower probability of events ranged between 2% and 30% of difference to the population without vaccination (all data correspond to 2013-2016).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest a significant relationship between being vaccinated against influenza and lower rates of hospitalization, outpatient visits and mortality in patients with diabetes and COPD.