Should persons diagnosed with scleroderma receive flu shots?
Any person diagnosed with systemic scleroderma should have a conversation with their rheumatologist or primary care physician regarding the flu shot. The general rule of thumb for this patient population is that yes, you should have an annual flu shot. This is especially true if you have any lung involvement or are on immunosuppressant medications (medications that dampen the immune system). Examples of immunosuppressant medications include methotrexate, corticosteroids, cytoxan, and imuran, among others. The risk to patients with any chronic systemic disease is that by contracting the flu, a secondary bacterial infection or pneumonia may develop. The vaccine could help to prevent such an occurrence. A note of caution: if you are allergic to eggs you should not receive this vaccine as the virus used to create the vaccine is grown in eggs. Patients should also consider receiving the Pneumovax vaccine to prevent pneumonia. This vaccine should be administered once every five years.
