Is there any good evidence that flu or pneumococcal vaccine prevents admissions?
There is good evidence from studies in elderly populations and some from COPD patients that flu vaccination is effective and that it also prevents hospital admission and reduces mortality. But flu vaccination will obviously not protect against other viral triggers of COPD exacerbations such as rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus that are also more common in winter. But the evidence for the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccine is less well documented, though again data from studies in the elderly suggest that hospital admission may be reduced. Few studies have been performed in COPD patients, but there is some evidence that patients with more severe COPD obtain benefit from pneumococcal vaccination. 7. What is the role of respiratory rehabilitation, and what’s your view on community versus hospital provision? The goal of respiratory – or pulmonary – rehabilitation is to optimise the patient’s physical and social functioning. This is achieved through a multidisciplinary programme
