In a new study, researchers found influenza vaccination may improve outcomes in patients with diabetes.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
The team used a nationwide register to identify patients with diabetes (defined as the use of glucose-lowering medication) during nine consecutive influenza seasons (2007 to 2016).
Cardiovascular outcomes were measured from Dec. 1 to April 1 of the next year. The analysis included 241,551 patients monitored for about four years.
The researchers found that the vaccine coverage during study seasons ranged from 24 to 36 percent.
During follow-up, 3.4 percent of patients died of all causes, including cardiovascular causes (1.7 percent) and heart attack or stroke (0.6 percent).
Vaccination was strongly associated with reduced risks for all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and death from a heart attack or stroke.
Vaccination was also linked to a reduced risk for being admitted to the hospital with acute complications associated with diabetes, like diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, or coma.
This study strongly adds to the growing body of evidence indicating the beneficial effects of influenza vaccination in patients with diabetes.
One author of the study is Daniel Modin from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
The study is published in Diabetes Care.
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