High Dose Influenza Vaccination and Morbidity and Mortality in U.S. Nursing Homes - A Pilot Evaluation

Influenza remains the most common preventable respiratory viral infection of older adults. Older adults incur more than 90% of the disease burden, and those residing in nursing homes are the most affected subset given their immune senescence, multi-morbidity, and close living quarters. Each year, the majority of influenza-related hospitalizations occur during the period with the greatest influenza activity.

Influenza vaccination has been associated with reduced hospitalization, strokes, heart attacks and death in non-institutional older adult populations, but the benefit of influenza vaccine for the oldest population has been questioned. The new high-dose influenza vaccine is considerably more immunogenic in older adults, and has recently been approved for use in individuals aged 65 years and older. No clinical data yet confirm whether the improved immunogenicity translates into added clinical benefit, such as further reduction in hospitalization or death. Estimating the benefit of influenza vaccination among older adults in long-term care settings using randomized controlled trials requires extensive effort and is costly. Instead, a pragmatic RCT in a nursing home population has several advantages as a model for comparing therapeutic approaches.

This clinical trial aims to test the feasibility of our protocol for a subsequent larger study. We aim to demonstrate that we can recruit and enroll facilities; randomly assign and coordinate vaccine delivery; collect data; conduct site audits for data validation; create outcomes using multiple data sources; and conduct analyses.