IDENTIFICAREA PRECOCE A VÂRSTNICILOR NONRESPONSIVI LA VACCINAREA ANTIGRIPALĂ.

Elderly people have an increased susceptibility to infections and a weaker immune response to vaccination, caused by deficiencies in the aged immune system (immunosenescence) and by an age-associated excessive inflammation („inflamm-aging"). However the clear identification of key elements that predispose toward this geriatric frailty has not been completed. Our objective was to evaluate whether the initial level of circulatory cytokines and serum C reactive protein is different between responders and non-responders at influenza vaccination. We have accomplished a retrospective study on 46 elderly subjects, who were influenza vaccinated for the winter season 2006/07, inside the Centre for Diagnostic and Treatment „Dr. Victor Babeş". The investigations were included the measuring of the level of specific antibodies at initial moment L0 and postvaccinal L1 and determination of circulatory cytokines (Il2R, Il6, IL8, TNFα) and serum C reactive protein at the moment L0. Vaccination inside the sample has met the European Medicines Agency (EMA)'s criteria of efficiency in the elderly and it has been made on the bases of specific serologic endpoints. Our original research has identified a number of 5/46 non-responders and 21/46 partial responders, that means 56.9% subjects. On the bases of Mann Whitney test we have observed a single significant difference for one of the tests applied: IL6 (U=156.0, p=0.031, B/ Malaysia/2506/2004 vaccine stain). Although the conclusions of this study are yet limited it is vital to continue this research together with an improvement of the study design, especially through broadening the panel of circulator cytokines and through choosing a diagnostic test with a superior accuracy. Aged-associated chronic inflammatory status, which triggers the appearance of age-related diseases, can also form the bases of the increased susceptibility to infections and of the weak response to vaccination, and the identification of some immune-inflammatory parameters with a role of early biomarkers will open new directions in early diagnosis in geriatrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]