Diminished immune responses with aging predispose older adults to common and uncommon influenza complications

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Cell Immunol. 2019 Oct 10:103992. doi: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2019.103992. [Epub ahead of print] Diminished immune responses with aging predispose older adults to common and uncommon influenza complications.

Keilich SR¹, Bartley JM², Haynes L³.
Author information

1 UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA. Electronic address: keilich@uchc.edu. 2 UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA. Electronic address: jbartley@uchc.edu. 3 UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA. Electronic address: lhaynes@uchc.edu.

Abstract

Influenza (flu) is a serious disease for older adults, with increased severity of infection and greater risk for hospitalization and death. Flu infection is limited to pulmonary epithelial cells, yet there are many systemic symptoms and older adults are more susceptible to flu-related complications. In older adults, flu rarely comes without additional complications and there is a perfect storm for enhanced disease due to multiple factors including existing co-morbidities, plus impaired lung function and dysregulated immune responses that occur with even healthy aging. Commonly, opportunistic secondary bacterial infections prosper in damaged lungs. Intensified systemic inflammation with aging can cause dysfunction in extra-pulmonary organs and tissues such as cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, neuropathologic, hepatic, and renal complications. Often overlooked is the underappreciated connections between many of these conditions, which exacerbate one another when in parallel. This review focuses on flu infection and the numerous complications in older adults associated with diminished immune responses.
Copyright ? 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


KEYWORDS:

Aging; Cardiovascular; Hepatic; Immunology; Influenza; Musculoskeletal; Neuropathologic; Renal; Secondary bacteria infection

PMID: 31627841 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2019.103992