EVALUATION OF INFLUENZA VACCINATION EFFECTS IN DISEASE ACTIVITY AND AUTOANTIBODY GENERATION IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOUS

Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients are susceptible to various
infections due to inappropriate immune responses and using variety of immunosuppressive therapies.
In this condition, influenza vaccination is an option that seems to contribute the patients. However,
there is a lack of data regarding vaccination in SLE patients in Iran that prompted us to design a study
to evaluate the impact of influenza vaccine in SLE patients.
Materials & Methods: Twenty-four SLE patients were selected and underwent blood sampling for
autoantibody titers before receiving influenza vaccine and rechecked 12 weeks after vaccination. All
patients were monitored for any vaccination complications and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI).
Results: There was no significant difference in serum level of ANA (p= 0.44), Anti Ds DNA (p=
0.98), C3 (p= 0.36) and C4 (p=0.49) in patients before and 12 weeks after vaccination. Serum level of
CH50 before and after vaccination was significantly different (p= 0.002).
Conclusion: Based on this research, we didn’t observe any changes in SLEDAI or vaccination
complications and considering high risk of pneumonia in SLE patients, vaccination program for this
population will be better and beneficial.