Background/objective: Patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) are at increased risk of contracting severe infections and suffering complications, particularly when they are receiving immunomodulating therapy. Vaccination is an important means to prevent many potential infections and thereby reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with AIRD. The purpose of this consensus document is to provide health care professionals with recommendations for the vaccination of AIRD patients who reside in Latin America. The recommendations were developed by an expert committee from the region based on a review of the literature and their clinical experience.
Methods: The Americas Health Foundation (AHF) used PubMed and EMBASE to identify clinicians and scientists with an academic or hospital affiliation and who had published in the field of adult vaccination and rheumatic diseases since 2010. As a result of this effort, AHF convened an 8-member panel of clinical and scientific experts from Latin America. Both the AHF and panel members conducted a careful literature review to identify relevant publications in the areas of adult vaccination and rheumatology, and the sum of the articles identified was provided to the entire panel. Prior to the conference, panelists were each asked to prepare a written response to a salient issue on the subject, identified by AHF.
Results and conclusions: During the conference, each response was edited by the entire group, through numerous drafts and rounds of discussion until a complete consensus on vaccination recommendations for adult patients with AIRDs was obtained, including 7 key recommendations.