Comprehensive Intervention To Prevent Community-acquired Lower Respiratory Tract Infection In The Elderly

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the intervention of combining pneumococcus vaccine with moshabili to prevent community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in the elderly. Methods: 210 elder adults long-term lived in community with high risk to develop community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections were randomized to three groups: Group A: 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine and moshabili were given. GroupB: 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine and placebo of moshabili were given. Group C: placebo of 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine and placebo of moshabili were given. There were 70 patients in each group. Each case received intervention for one year. The incidence of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections, hospitalization rate, fatality rate and the incidence of side effect were observated. Result: The incidence of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in group A,B and C was 3.7%, 14.5% and 15.5% (p<0.05 ) respectively.The incidence rate of sideeffect in group A,B and C was 15.7%,5.7% and 5.7% respectively. The hospitalization rate in each group was 1.9%, 3.2% and 1.7% respectively; fatality rate was 0.0%, 11.1 % and 0.0% respectively. There are no significant differences in hospitalization rate, fatality rate and the incidence rate of side effect among these groups. Conclusions: Pneumococcus vaccine combine with moshabili can effectively and safely prevent community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in the elderly.