Vaccines — including influenza, pneumococcal and COVID vaccines — are highly recommended for patients with COPD.
That’s according to the 2024 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) report.
The report states that influenza vaccinations can reduce serious illness — such as lower respiratory tract infections requiring hospitalization — and death among patients with COPD. Although there are only a few studies that have evaluated exacerbations, they have shown a significant reduction in the number of exacerbations per vaccinated subject when compared with those who received placebo.
Influenza vaccines containing either killed or live inactivated viruses are recommended, the report states, because they are more effective in elderly people with COPD.
Pneumococcal vaccinations, pneumococcal conjugated vaccine (PCV20 or PCV15) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine are approved for adults aged 65 and older as well as for adults aged 19 to 64 if they have an underlying medical condition such as COPD, emphysema or asthma.
Other key changes to the 2024 GOLD report include enhanced information on preserved ratio but impaired spirometry (PRISm), a section on hyperinflation, information about pre-bronchodilator spirometry and a section on Screening for COPD in Targeted Populations.
