A randomised controlled trial of resistance exercise prior to administration of influenza vaccination in older adults

Abstract

The low rate of vaccine efficacy in the older adult population poses a major challenge to public health. Previous investigation has found acute exercise can enhance immune responses to vaccines within a young adult population. To date, no study has investigated the effect of exercise on vaccine responses in immune-compromised groups such as older adults, a group who could potentially benefit from enhanced responses. Forty-six healthy older adults (mean age = 73 ± 7 years, BMI = 27.2 ± 5 kg m2, male = 23) were randomly assigned to complete a control or exercise task prior to administration of the seasonal influenza vaccine. The exercise group performed resistance exercises using upper and lower body muscle groups at an intensity of 60-percent one repetition maximum. Antigen-specific serum antibody titres were measured at baseline and one-month and six-months post-vaccination. Exercise task elicited expected changes in inflammatory markers, but for all three viral strains of the influenza vaccine, changes in antibody titre from baseline to one-month and six-months post vaccination were similar between groups who exercised prior to vaccination and those who rested. Control participants suffered a higher rate of systemic adverse events in the 48 h following vaccination. To our knowledge, this was the first randomised controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effects of resistance exercise on vaccine response in the older adult population, limitations include sample size and intensity of exercise task which may have contributed to the null finding.