#Influenza #vaccination to improve #outcomes for #patients with acute heart failure (PANDA II): a multiregional, seasonal, hospital-based, cluster-randomised, controlled trial in #China
Summary Background Influenza vaccination is widely recommended to prevent death and serious illness in vulnerable people , including those with heart failure . However, the randomised evidence to support this practice is limited and few people are vaccinated in many parts of the world. We aimed to determine whether influenza vaccination can improve the outcome of patients after an episode of acute heart failure requiring admission to hospital in China . Methods We undertook a pragmatic, multiregional, parallel-group, cluster (hospital)-randomised, controlled, superiority trial over three winter seasons in China. Participating hospitals were located in the counties of 12 provinces with the capability of establishing a point-of-care service to provide free influenza vaccination to a sufficient number of patients before their discharge, if allocated to the intervention group. No such service was used in hospitals allocated to usual care (control) but patients were informed of fee-fo...