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Statins, in addition to their lipid-lowering properties, may also have anti-inflammatory effects. This observation has led to concern that patients taking statins may have a reduced response to immunization, particularly to the inactivated influenza vaccine.
To examine this potential risk, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries older than 65 years of age who received an influenza vaccination during each influenza season from 2010 through 2015. Of more than 72 million beneficiaries who received influenza vaccinations during the study period, 8% were eligible for analysis. Of these, 28% were statin users around the time of immunization, 55% were nonusers, and 17% were classified as neither.
Statin use versu…