BACKGROUND: Influenza viral infections cause significant morbidity and mortality each season. Lung transplant patients may be at higher risk because of their underlying pathophysiology. Although annual immunization is the standard of care, its efficacy remains largely unproven. Previous studies showed poor antibody response to influenza vaccine in lung transplant patients, but no data on the antibody response in consecutive seasons have been published. METHODS: We studied antibody responses to influenza vaccine in 122 subjects: 66 lung transplant recipients, 28 control subjects, and 28 patients awaiting lung transplantation. We compared antibody response rates to individual viruses contained in influenza vaccines in consecutive years within the 3 groups. Serum antibody concentrations were measured at baseline and 2 to 4 weeks after vaccination by using the hemagglutination inhibition assay. Log-transformed antibody concentrations and incidence of serconversion and seroprotection were calculated. RESULTS: Median log-transformed antibody responses were similar in consecutive seasons in lung transplant subjects. Incidences of seroprotection and seroconversion did not differ between consecutive seasons in lung transplant recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Antibody responses were similar in consecutively measured years in lung transplant subjects. Annual influenza vaccination in lung transplant subjects produces similar immune responses in 2 consecutive years, indicating that these patients are not at significantly increased risk of vaccine failure.
BACKGROUND: Influenza viral infections cause significant morbidity and mortality each season. Lung transplant patients may be at higher risk because of their underlying pathophysiology. Although annual immunization is the standard of care, its efficacy remains largely unproven. Previous studies showed poor antibody response to influenza vaccine in lung transplant patients, but no data on the antibody response in consecutive seasons have been published. METHODS: We studied antibody responses to influenza vaccine in 122 subjects: 66 lung transplant recipients, 28 control subjects, and 28 patients awaiting lung transplantation. We compared antibody response rates to individual viruses contained in influenza vaccines in consecutive years within the 3 groups. Serum antibody concentrations were measured at baseline and 2 to 4 weeks after vaccination by using the hemagglutination inhibition assay. Log-transformed antibody concentrations and incidence of serconversion and seroprotection were calculated. RESULTS: Median log-transformed antibody responses were similar in consecutive seasons in lung transplant subjects. Incidences of seroprotection and seroconversion did not differ between consecutive seasons in lung transplant recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Antibody responses were similar in consecutively measured years in lung transplant subjects. Annual influenza vaccination in lung transplant subjects produces similar immune responses in 2 consecutive years, indicating that these patients are not at significantly increased risk of vaccine failure.
Authors: Charles R Beck; Bruce C McKenzie; Ahmed B Hashim; Rebecca C Harris; Arina Zanuzdana; Gabriel Agboado; Elizabeth Orton; Laura Béchard-Evans; Gemma Morgan; Charlotte Stevenson; Rachel Weston; Mitsuru Mukaigawara; Joanne Enstone; Glenda Augustine; Mobasher Butt; Sophie Kim; Richard Puleston; Girija Dabke; Robert Howard; Julie O'Boyle; Mary O'Brien; Lauren Ahyow; Helene Denness; Siobhan Farmer; Jose Figureroa; Paul Fisher; Felix Greaves; Munib Haroon; Sophie Haroon; Caroline Hird; Rachel Isba; David A Ishola; Marko Kerac; Vivienne Parish; Jonathan Roberts; Julia Rosser; Sarah Theaker; Dean Wallace; Neil Wigglesworth; Liz Lingard; Yana Vinogradova; Hiroshi Horiuchi; Javier Peñalver; Jonathan S Nguyen-Van-Tam Journal: PLoS One Date: 2011-12-22 Impact factor: 3.240