Association of Influenza Vaccination With Acute Kidney Injury: A Prospective Target Trial Emulation Study

Influenza infection can damage multiple systems beyond the respiratory system and cause impairment of kidney function. We hypothesized that influenza vaccination may provide a more extensive protective effect beyond respiratory diseases. However, the impact of influenza vaccination on the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been sufficiently evaluated. This study investigated the association between influenza vaccination and AKI in older adults represented in the UK Biobank, a large prospective cohort. By emulating a targeted randomized clinical trial in this cohort, we found that influenza vaccination may reduce the risk of AKI by 17%. This effect was partially mediated by a reduction in influenza and pneumonia. These findings support the broader implementation of influenza vaccination to reduce both influenza and kidney-related complications in older adult populations.