901. Immunology/Genetics/Endocrinology - exercise immunology Scientific Abstract

487 - Acute Resistance Exercise Fails To Improve Influenza Vaccine Response In Older Adults

Session Type
Free Communication/Poster
Session Name
A-53 - Immunology and Endocrinology Across the Healthspan
Session Category Text
Immunology/Genetics/Endocrinology
Disclosures
 E.C. LaVoy: None.

Abstract

Older adults are at elevated risk for morbidity and mortality caused by influenza. Vaccination is the primary means of prophylaxis, but the magnitude and duration of the protective response is often compromised in older adults. As acute eccentric resistance exercise can mobilize immune cells into targeted muscle, it may enhance immune responses to vaccination. PURPOSE: To compare immune responses to influenza vaccination in older adults who performed eccentric resistance exercise prior to vaccination to those who did not exercise. METHODS: 29 resistance training naive older adults (20 women, 73.9 ± 5.6 years) were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: 1) exercise in the vaccinated arm (EX-S), 2) exercise in the opposite arm (EX-OP) and 3) control (NO-EX). Exercise consisted of 10 sets of 5 repetitions at 85% of each subject's pre-determined concentric one repetition maxima. Lateral raises were alternated with bicep curls, with 15 sec rest between exercises and 30 sec rest between sets. Focus was on the eccentric component of the exercise. NO-EX sat quietly for 20 min. Following treatment (EX or NO-EX), all subjects received the 2018 quadrivalent influenza vaccine (Seqirus Afluria) in the deltoid of the non-dominant arm. Antibody titers against the 4 influenza strains in the vaccine were determined by hemagglutinin inhibition assays at 6- and 24-weeks post-vaccination. Group differences in antibody titers by time were assessed by maximum likelihood linear mixed models; sex was included as a covariate. Fold-changes in antibody titers at 6 and 24 weeks from baseline were compared between groups by Kruskal-Wallis H tests. RESULTS: Subjective reports of soreness did not differ between groups. One subject (EX-S) reported flu-like symptoms 18 weeks post-vaccination. No significant group x time effects were found for any strain. Women had greater titers to strain A/Singapore compared to men (F (1,28.12) = 5.85, p=0.022). There was a trend for group differences in fold-increase in antibodies against B/Colorado at 6 weeks (H(2)=4.512, p=0.105) with a mean rank antibody titer of 16.88 for EX-S, 12.29 for EX-OP, and 10.40 for NO-EX. CONCLUSION: Acute eccentric resistance exercise of the deltoid and bicep brachii did not significantly influence antibody titers to the influenza vaccine delivered post-exercise in older adults.
Collapse