EFFECTS OF INFLUENZA VACCINATION IN HIV-INFECTED ADULTS - A DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Annual influenza vaccine is recommended for persons with HIV infection , Recent reports indicate that immunizations may increase HII replicat ion in infected individuals, Forty-seven HIV-infected patients were ra ndomized to influenza vaccine or saline placebo using a double blind s tudy design, One month after-vaccination, plasma HIV-I RNA increased i n the vaccinated but not placebo group (p=0.029) At 3 months, CD4% dro pped an average of 1.6 points in the vaccinated group compared to an i ncrease of 0.1 points in the placebo group (p = 0.039), Patients on st able antiretroviral regimens had CD4% drop an average of 2.3 points in the vaccinated group at 3 months versus 0.1 points in the placebo gro up (p = 0.015), It is concluded that HIV-infected patients are at risk for increased HIV replication and decreases in CD4% following influen za vaccination. Since influenza has not been associated with significa nt morbidity in this population, further study of routine influenza va ccination for HIV-infected patients is warranted. (C) 1998 Published b y Elsevier-Science Ltd. All rights reserved.