Inclusion of vaccination into clinical pathways for COPD and asthma: current challenges and future perspectives in Italy

Abstract

to describe the importance given to vaccination as a preventive measure in the clinical pathways (CPWs) of patients affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in the Italian regional healthcare services. a comparative analysis was conducted to assess the presence/absence of vaccination recommendations among the available regional CPWs for the management of COPD and asthma. all the regional CPWs for COPD and asthma available in the "Fondazione ReS" database between 2008 and 2019 have been analysed. the role attributed to vaccination was assessed in terms of type of recommended vaccinations, management step indicated for administration, vaccination schedules, healthcare professionals involved in the vaccination pathway, potential contraindications, use of indicators for the monitoring of the offer. thirteen CPWs for COPD and only 3 for asthma were published between 2008 and 2019. Twelve of the CPWs for COPD included recommendation for influenza vaccination, 11 of which including also pneumococcal vaccination. The most recent CPW also contained recommendations for measles-mumps-rubella, varicella, Herpes Zoster, and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccinations. Two of the CPWs related to asthma in adults recommended influenza vaccination. All CPWs provided for the vaccination recommendations during the patient follow-up step. Italian CPWs still pay little attention to the topic of vaccinations in patients with COPD and asthma. CPWs are required to be updated in the future being compliant with the national immunization schedule recommendations.