Influenza vaccination status in multiple sclerosis patients from Latin America

Rojas, Juan I.; Henestroza, Paula; Giachello, Susana; Patrucco, Liliana; Cristiano, Edgardo; Carnero Contentti, Edgar

The objective of the present study was to identify the frequency of MS patients in Latin America (LATAM) that received the influenza vaccine during the most recent season and the reasons related to non-vaccination. Cross-sectional study between November and December 2020 in a large cohort of MS patients from LATAM. Patients responded about recommendation of receiving influenza vaccine and the use of it as well as reasons for not using the vaccine. Four hundred twelve MS patients were included in the analysis. 47.3% of patients were recommended to receive the vaccine from the treating physician. Nearly 54% of patients did not receive the influenza vaccine, and the most frequent cause was that it was neither recommended nor mentioned by the treating physician (27.4%). Female gender (OR = 2.3, 95%CI 1.4–3.8, p = 0.001) was associated with an increased risk of recommendation, while a progressive form of MS and higher EDSS decreased the risk (OR = 0.49, 95%CI 0.27–0.90, p = 0.023; OR = 0.65, 95%CI 0.55–0.97, p = 0.02, respectively). Despite the evidence to recommend the influenza vaccine in MS patients, a limited number of patients in clinical practice received such recommendation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13365-021-01011-w.