Improvement of the immunoglobulin subclass response to influenza vaccine in elderly nursing-home residents by the use of high-dose vaccines

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 11; no. 6; pp. 649 - 654
• Main Authors: Remarque, E.J., van Beek, W.C.A., Ligthart, G.J., Borst, R.J.A., Nagelkerken, L., Palache, A.M., Sprenger, M.J.W., Masurel, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1993; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - immunology; Analysis of Variance; Antibodies, Viral - biosynthesis; Biological and medical sciences; dose-response; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; elderly; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; Humans; Immunobiology; Immunoglobulin A - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin M - biosynthesis; immunoglobulin subclass distribution; Immunoglobulins - biosynthesis; Influenza; Influenza A virus - immunology; Influenza Vaccines - administration & dosage; Influenza Vaccines - immunology; influenza virus; Modulation of the immune response (stimulation, suppression); Nursing Homes; Vaccination; dose-response; Influenza; elderly; immunoglobulin subclass distribution; Human; Immunoglobulins; Immune response; Antibody; Immunomodulation; Multicenter study; Vaccination; Orthomyxoviridae; Isotype; Vaccine; Influenzavirus; Dose activity relation; Virus; Elderly; Humoral immunity
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/0264-410X(93)90311-K

To investigate the effects of age and antigen dose (10,20,60 μg) on the immunoglobulin (sub)class distribution following influenza vaccination, antibody responses in 79 elderly nursing home residents were compared with the responses in 100 young subjects. At a 10 μg dose the IgM, IgG 3 and IgA 1 responses were comparable in both age groups, whereas the IgG, IgG 1 and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) responses were twofold lower in the elderly. A 20 μg dose increased the IgG, IgG 1 and HI levels in the elderly to the levels in the young and the IgA 1 to significantly higher levels. A 60 μg dose increased antibody levels in the young, but did not further increase the response in the elderly. The 20 μg dose might represent a higher level of protection in the elderly.