Comments on: Can’t find the flushot? Get the pneumonia vaccine http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/10/cant-find-flushot-get-pneumonia.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:50:13 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/10/cant-find-flushot-get-pneumonia.html/comment-page-1#comment-51703 Anonymous Wed, 20 Oct 2004 17:39:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/10/cant-find-the-flushot-get-the-pneumonia-vaccine.html#comment-51703 Kevin:<br /><br />Randomized trials and meta-analyses have shown a benefit to pneumococcal immunization in young people with a high risk of pneumonia (e.g. SA gold miners, New Guinea highlanders, who have intact immune response, respiratory irritants, and close living quarters). The randomized trial (or meta-analysis) data supporting the immunization of the elderly is much more scant, despite the data from retrospective trials. There doesn't seem to be an effect on death or pneumonia, although there does seem to be some protection from bacteremia.<br />http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/1/1<br />http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14583920<br /><br />I like your idea, but I think you're overemphasizing the efficacy of pneumococcal vaccination. On the other hand, it is not unreasonable to approach pneumococcal immunization like Pascal's wager, and to advise it since it *may* help, and is unlikely to cause problems.<br /><br />Over on the CDC website, they show efficacy figures for Symmetrel and Tamiflu that approach those of influenza immunization (70%). This may be a more effective approach for those who cannot be immunized. Kevin:

Randomized trials and meta-analyses have shown a benefit to pneumococcal immunization in young people with a high risk of pneumonia (e.g. SA gold miners, New Guinea highlanders, who have intact immune response, respiratory irritants, and close living quarters). The randomized trial (or meta-analysis) data supporting the immunization of the elderly is much more scant, despite the data from retrospective trials. There doesn’t seem to be an effect on death or pneumonia, although there does seem to be some protection from bacteremia.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/1/1
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14583920

I like your idea, but I think you’re overemphasizing the efficacy of pneumococcal vaccination. On the other hand, it is not unreasonable to approach pneumococcal immunization like Pascal’s wager, and to advise it since it *may* help, and is unlikely to cause problems.

Over on the CDC website, they show efficacy figures for Symmetrel and Tamiflu that approach those of influenza immunization (70%). This may be a more effective approach for those who cannot be immunized.

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