Shingles and RSV Vaccines Linked to Lower Dementia Risk in Older Adults: Study
UK: Researchers at the University of Oxford have found in a new study that older U.S. adults who received AS01-adjuvanted vaccines-either for shingles or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia within 18 months. Since both vaccines showed comparable results, the study points to the AS01 adjuvant as a potential contributor to the protective effect against dementia.
Published in npj Vaccines, the large-scale study assessed over 430,000 individuals using electronic health record (EHR) data from the U.S.-based TriNetX network. It compared those who received AS01-based shingles (Shingrix) or RSV (Arexvy) vaccines with individuals who received flu vaccines but not the AS01-adjuvanted shots.
The findings were as follows:
- Individuals who received either the AS01 shingles or RSV vaccine had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia.
- Recipients of the RSV vaccine experienced a 29% longer dementia-free period over 18 months.
- Those who received the shingles vaccine had an 18% longer duration without a dementia diagnosis.
- Participants who received both vaccines showed the greatest benefit, with a 37% increase in dementia-free time compared to flu vaccine recipients.
- There was no significant difference in dementia risk reduction between the shingles and RSV vaccines.
- Receiving both AS01 vaccines did not provide additional benefits, suggesting the AS01 adjuvant may drive the observed protective effect.
- The protective association was consistent across both men and women.
- The findings remained valid even when early dementia diagnoses (within three months of vaccination) were included.
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