Resistance Exercise to Improve Flu Vaccine for Older Adults

University of Houston29 enrolled

Overview

This study evaluates whether resistance exercise will improve immune responses to the seasonal influenza vaccine in older adults. One third of the participants will perform exercise in the arm that receives the vaccine, one third of the participants will perform the same exercise in the arm that does not receive the vaccine, and one third will only receive the vaccine.

Resistance exercise, particularly novel eccentric exercise, recruits immune cells to the targeted muscle. The exercises selected here targets the deltoid and biceps brachii muscles-those same muscles that the flu vaccine is delivered to during typical vaccination.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Influenza, Human

Interventions

ExerciseBEHAVIORAL

10 sets of 5 repetitions of 80% of calculated one-repetition maximum weight of lateral side arm raise and biceps curls, alternating

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * non-frail older adult (≥65 years old) of any sex and race/ethnicity * non-smokers (\>10 yrs) * meets American College of Sports Medicine criteria for participation in exercise * US resident Exclusion Criteria: * underlying medical problems that contraindicate supervised resistance exercise * past or present history of autoimmune disease, HIV, hepatitis, stroke, or cardiovascular disease * current debilitating arthritis of the shoulder * central or peripheral nervous disorders * bedridden in the past three months * history of vaccine-related allergies, or severe egg allergy; * physician-confirmed influenza infection in the prior year * regular user of corticosteroids * functional or cognitive impairment that would limit exercise performance or prohibit informed consent * blood pressure greater than 160/90 * participation in resistance arm exercises in the prior 6 months

Locations (1)

University of Houston

Houston, Texas, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Cell mediated immunity change at 6 weeks post-vaccine

The change in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell response to overnight ex vivo culture with the seasonal quadrivalent vaccine detected via Interferon-gamma ELISPOT will be calculated from baseline at 6 weeks post-vaccine

Time frame: baseline and 6 weeks

Antibody titer change at 6 weeks post-vaccine

The change in influenza-specific antibody titers in serum measured by hemagglutination inhibition assay will be calculated from baseline at 6 weeks post-vaccine

Time frame: baseline and 6 weeks

Cell mediated immunity change at 6 months post-vaccine

Time frame: baseline and 6 months

Antibody titer change at 6 months post-vaccine

The change in influenza-specific antibody titers in serum measured by hemagglutination inhibition assay will be calculated from baseline at 6 months post-vaccine

Time frame: baseline and 6 months

Secondary Outcomes

Muscle soreness

Self-reported pain in upper arm shoulder/ region of both arms collected once daily for 7 days after vaccination. Item will be scored 0-10 (0= no pain; 10= worst possible pain).

Time frame: 7 days

Influenza-like symptoms

Self-report symptoms of influenza infection, guided by an influenza self-screening questionnaire( modified from University of California Davis Student Health and Counseling Service influenza self-screening questionnaire)

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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