HomePublicationsCongress AbstractsAbstracts 2012Poster presentations: Clinical: Therapy and observation (2012)P247. Uptake in the UK of vaccination recommendations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

* = Presenting author

Poster presentations: Clinical: Therapy and observation (2012)

P247. Uptake in the UK of vaccination recommendations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)


D. Burger1, W. Blad1, L. White1, A. Walsh2, S. Travis1

1John Radcliffe Hospital, Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford, United Kingdom; 2St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia



Background: Vaccine preventable illness provides an opportunity for reducing infective complications associated with medical therapy for IBD. We examined patient uptake of vaccination recommendations based on ECCO guidelines.

Methods: An A4-size vaccination checklist was introduced for routine clinic consultations at the IBD clinic, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, with one copy each to the patient, GP, notes and research file. A covering letter explaining the initiative was given to patients and accompanied the recommendations to the GP. Patients were contacted by telephone 3 months after clinic review to audit the uptake of these recommendations.

Results: 182 patients were screened with the vaccination checklist over a 3‑month period (September – November, 2010), with 146/182 (80%) follow up at 3 months. Median age was 39 (range 17–75), 64% female; 56% had Crohn's disease, 35% ulcerative colitis and 9% IBD‑U. 60/146 (41%) were taking immunomodulators and 39/146 (27%) anti-TNFα therapy. Of 146 respondents, vaccine uptake was 119 (82%) against influenza (including H1N1), 69 (47%) against Pneumococcus spp., and 50 (35%) against hepatitis B. No patients had serological evidence of past or current hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Only 2 (1%) of patients did not have immunity to varicella. Qualitative feedback from primary care, identified barriers to hepatitis B and pneumococcal vaccination for this patient group, which are not currently endorsed by the UK Department of Health. Hepatitis B seroconversion data are in progress.

Conclusions: Apart from influenza, there is low uptake of vaccination recommendations, with only a third of patients receiving hepatitis B vaccination. This may be due to the vaccination system in the UK, where patients with IBD are not explicitly included among those considered at risk.