Cardiovascular exercise training extends influenza vaccine seroprotection in sedentary older adults: the immune function intervention trial.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether cardiovascular exercise training resulted in improved antibody responses to influenza vaccination in sedentary elderly people who exhibited poor vaccine responses.


METHODS
Single-site randomized parallel-arm 10-month controlled trial.


METHODS
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.


METHODS
One hundred forty-four sedentary, healthy older (69.9 +/- 0.4) adults.


METHODS
Moderate (60-70% maximal oxygen uptake) cardiovascular exercise was compared with flexibility and balance training.


METHODS
The primary outcome was influenza vaccine response, as measured according to hemagglutination inhibition (HI) anti-influenza antibody titer and seroprotective responses (HI titer > or =40). Secondary measures included cardiovascular fitness and body composition.


RESULTS
Of the 160 participants enrolled, 144 (90%) completed the 10-month intervention with excellent compliance ( approximately 83%). Cardiovascular, but not flexibility, exercise intervention resulted in improvements in indices of cardiovascular fitness, including maximal oxygen uptake. Although not affecting peak (e.g., 3 and 6 weeks) postvaccine anti-influenza HI titers, cardiovascular exercise resulted in a significant increase in seroprotection 24 weeks after vaccination (30-100% dependent on vaccine variant), whereas flexibility training did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Participants randomized to cardiovascular exercise experienced improvements in influenza seroprotection throughout the entire influenza season, whereas those in the balance and flexibility intervention did not. Although there were no differences in reported respiratory tract infections, the exercise group exhibited reduced overall illness severity and sleep disturbance. These data support the hypothesis that regular endurance exercise improves influenza vaccine responses.
Woods
Jeffrey A
JA
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA. woods1@illinois.edu
Keylock
K Todd
KT
Lowder
Thomas
T
Vieira
Victoria J
VJ
Zelkovich
William
W
Dumich
Sara
S
Colantuano
Kim
K
Lyons
Kristin
K
Leifheit
Kurt
K
Cook
Marc
M
Chapman-Novakofski
Karen
K
McAuley
Edward
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057185:Sedentary Behavior
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007252:Influenza Vaccines