Document Detail


A potential signal of Bell's palsy after parenteral inactivated influenza vaccines: reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)--United States, 1991-2001.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15317028     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
PURPOSE: Post-licensure experience with a new intranasal inactivated influenza vaccine in Switzerland recently identified an increased risk for Bell's palsy. We reviewed reports in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to assess if parenteral inactivated influenza vaccines (influenza vaccines) may also increase the risk for Bell's palsy. METHODS: Reports of Bell's palsy after influenza vaccines in VAERS from 1/1/1991 to 12/31/2001 were identified by searching the Coding Symbols for Thesaurus of Adverse Reaction Terms (COSTART) for 'paralysis facial' and by text string search in the automated database. The text descriptions on each report were reviewed to verify the diagnosis. The proportional reporting ratio (PRR) was calculated to aid signal detection. RESULTS: We found a total of 197 reports of Bell's palsy after receipt of influenza vaccines. The diagnosis was verified for 154 (78.2%), of which 145 (94.2%) had received influenza vaccines alone. The verified reports were submitted from 35 states; 58% of the reports involved persons living in states where the risk of Lyme disease, which can also cause facial paralysis, was low, minimal or none. The PRRs in all age groups exceeded the criteria for a signal of possible association. The highest PRR was 3.91 in the > or = 65 years age group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed a signal of possible association between influenza vaccines and an increased risk of Bell's palsy. A population-based controlled study is needed to determine whether this association could be causal and to quantify the risk.
Authors:
Weigong Zhou; Vitali Pool; Frank DeStefano; John K Iskander; Penina Haber; Robert T Chen;
Related Documents :
6142218 - Influenza a prophylaxis with amantadine in a boarding school.
16490288 - Serum antibodies against circulating influenza strains among vaccinated and unvaccinate...
16624458 - Incidence of influenza in ontario following the universal influenza immunization campaign.
6153378 - Mast cells as a possible source of haemophilus influenzae-induced changes in plasma and...
18565148 - Antigen selection for future anti-trichuris vaccines: a comparison of cytokine and anti...
20649148 - Vaccination against gnrh may suppress aggressive behaviour and musth in african elephan...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety     Volume:  13     ISSN:  1053-8569     ISO Abbreviation:  Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf     Publication Date:  2004 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2004-08-18     Completed Date:  2004-12-01     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9208369     Medline TA:  Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  505-10     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Affiliation:
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems*
Aged
Bell Palsy / chemically induced*,  epidemiology
Databases, Factual
Female
Humans
Influenza Vaccines / adverse effects*
Male
Middle Aged
Pharmacoepidemiology*
United States / epidemiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Influenza Vaccines
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2004 Aug;13(8):501-2   [PMID:  15317026 ]
Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2004 Aug;13(8):511-3; discussion 515-7   [PMID:  15317029 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Conformational sampling and dynamics of membrane proteins from 10-nanosecond computer simulations.
Next Document:  The reporting odds ratio and its advantages over the proportional reporting ratio.