Vaccination trial against heart disease and stroke

Melburnians are taking part in a world first trial led by Monash University that could see a simple one-off vaccination protect against heart attack and stroke.

The trial, which started late last year, aims to determine whether the pneumococcal vaccine can reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke by up to 20%. Observational studies indicate the injection can lead to a 17% protection against cardiovascular disease, but this is the first large scale study to be conducted.

The Australian Study for the Prevention through Immunisation of Cardiovascular Events (AUSPICE) trial is being coordinated by the Centre for Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics (CCRET) within the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (SPHPM). The trial is led by Principal Investigator Professor Andrew Tonkin and assisted by Dr Ingrid Hopper and will be based at Caulfield Hospital.

AUSPICE is recruiting up to 3000 men and women aged 55 to 60 years across six centres in Melbourne, Newcastle, Gosford, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth.

The study will formally test whether the existing pneumococcal vaccine can not only reduce invasive pneumococcal disease but also help to prevent heart attack and stroke. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against diseases such as meningitis and is currently free under the National Immunise Australia Program for people over 65, children and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children.

According to Dr Hopper, if the trial proves to be successful it will signify a major change in preventative health practice globally.

“If shown to be effective, it would be relatively easy to incorporate changes into clinical practice because the pneumococcal vaccine is safe and has already been used in Australia for over 20 years in a different target group,” Dr Hopper said.

Victorian volunteers, aged 60-64, are asked to attend a single clinic at the Caulfield Clinical Trials Centre in Melbourne, for less than one hour. People with at least two risk factors for heart disease – high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or overweight/obesity – will be randomised to receive either the active vaccine or a saline placebo.

This collaboration between Monash University, the University of Newcastle, Australian National University, Flinders University and The University of Western Australia comprises a large multidisciplinary team including cardiologists, epidemiologists, neurologists, nurse immunisers, pharmacists, public health and medicine physicians and biostatisticians.

The researchers will link, via the Federal Department of Health hospital admission records, the incidence of cardiovascular disease requiring hospitalisation amongst those who received the vaccine and those who received the placebo.

To register interest call freephone number 1800 199108 or visit the website.

(Source: Monash University)