Testing the feasibility and initial effects of iron and vitamin C to enhance nursing home residents' immune status following an influenza vaccine

Influenza infections pose a serious threat to residents living in nursing homes and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. It is estimated that influenza vaccination is only 30%–40% effective in the frail elderly. This 2-group experimental design study examined the efficacy of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inGeriatric nursing (New York) Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 188 - 194
Main Authors Crogan, Neva L., Velasquez, Donna, Gagan, Mary Jo
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Mosby, Inc 01.05.2005
Subjects
Aged - physiology
Aging - immunology
Aging - metabolism
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - diagnosis
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - etiology
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - immunology
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - prevention & control
Ascorbic Acid - immunology
Ascorbic Acid - therapeutic use
Clinical Nursing Research
Feasibility Studies
Geriatric Assessment
Homes for the Aged
Humans
Immunocompromised Host - drug effects
Immunocompromised Host - immunology
Influenza Vaccines - immunology
Iron - immunology
Iron - therapeutic use
Nursing
Nursing Homes
Nutrition Assessment
Nutritional Status
Pilot Projects
Risk Factors
Transferrin - metabolism
Treatment Outcome
United States > US
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Summary:Influenza infections pose a serious threat to residents living in nursing homes and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. It is estimated that influenza vaccination is only 30%–40% effective in the frail elderly. This 2-group experimental design study examined the efficacy of giving iron supplements to nursing home residents aged 65 and older to improve immune response following influenza vaccination. Specific aims of the study were to test study procedures and explore initial immune response. A number of barriers were encountered during the recruitment and consent phase limiting subject recruitment. Only serum transferrin was significantly different following the 30-day administration of iron supplementation. It was concluded that to achieve sufficient power to examine the effect of the intervention on immune response and infection rates, aggressive recruiting strategies at multiple sites are necessary.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
ObjectType-News-3
content type line 23
ISSN:0197-4572
1528-3984
DOI:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2005.03.007