Obesity in adolescents does not influence early immune responses to influenza vaccination

Abstract

Background

Obesity has been linked to reduced vaccine responses against tetanus, hepatitis B and influenza. Data on the influence of paediatric obesity on influenza vaccine response is still lacking and this study aims to fill the gap.

Methods

A total of 30 children with obesity and 30 children with normal weight, aged 12–18 years, were recruited. Participants were vaccinated with a tetravalent influenza vaccine. Blood was collected prior to the vaccination and again four weeks later. The humoral response was assessed with haemagglutinin inhibition assay. The cellular response was assessed with T-cell stimulation assays measuring TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-13.

Results

Of the 29/30 from the study group and 30/30 from the control group finished both visits. Seroconversion occurred for > 90% of participants in both groups for the A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B/Victoria strains, but the B/Yamagata strain had lower seroconversion rates (93% in the study group and 80% in the control group). 97-100% of participants from both groups had adequate serological responses following vaccination. Cellular responses were similar between the two groups post-vaccination.

Conclusions

Early humoral and cellular immune responses to influenza vaccinations are similar among adolescents with obesity and normal weight.

Keywords:

• Immune response
• obesity
• influenza
• influenza vaccinations
• adolescents

Acknowledgements

We thank all the participants for their contribution to the study. 66°North is acknowledged for providing gift certificates for outdoor clothing as a reward for participants.

Authors’ contributions

Iris Kristinsdottir designed and coordinated the study, collected the clinical data, analysed, and interpreted the data, drafted the initial manuscript, and revised and reviewed the manuscript. Asgeir Haraldsson and Valtyr Thors conceptualised and designed the study, recruited participants, reviewed, and edited the manuscript and supervised the study. Siggeir Fannar Brynjolfsson designed the study, conducted laboratory work on the samples, co-ordinated shipments of samples and reviewed the manuscript. Tryggvi Helgason participated in designing the study and critically reviewed the manuscript. Bjorn Runar Ludviksson participated in designing the study and reviewed the manuscript. Elena Gianchecchi, Ilaria Razzano and Emmanuele Montomoli prepared, designed, and carried out cellular immunological evaluation and participated in preparing the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

For correspondence and request for reprints, contact Dr. Valtyr Thors, Children’s Hospital Iceland, Landspitali University Hospital, Hringbraut, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland. Phone: [phone]. E-mail: [email protected]

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

Role of funder/sponsor

The sponsors had no role in study design or conduct of the study.

Data sharing statement

Anonymised individual participant data will be made available, in addition to study protocol, beginning 3 months after publication and up to 8 years after publication. The data will be available upon request from researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal for the use of the data to achieve the goals of the approved proposal. Proposals should be submitted to [email protected].

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by The Icelandic Centre for Research [grant number 206629-051] and Landspitali Research Fund [grant number A-2019-087].