RESEARCH - Autoimmune response following annual influenza vaccination in 92 apparently healthy adults

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Autoimmun Rev. 2008 Aug 9.

Autoimmune response following annual influenza vaccination in 92

apparently healthy adults.

Toplak N, Kveder T, Trampu¹-Bakija A, Subelj V, Cuènik S, Avèin T.

Department of Allergology, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology,

University Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana,

Slovenia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possibility of autoimmune responses

following annual influenza vaccination in a large cohort of apparently

healthy adults. METHODS: Autoantibodies including antinuclear

antibodies (ANA), anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL),

anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-beta(2)-GPI), lupus

anticoagulant (LA) and anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies

(anti-ENA) were determined in 92 healthy adult subjects, staff at the

University Children's Hospital Ljubljana. Blood samples were taken

from each participant before the vaccination, 1 month and 6 months

after the annual influenza vaccination. RESULTS: Before the influenza

vaccination, 26% of participants were positive for ANA, 16% for aCL,

7% for anti-beta(2)-GPI, 2% for LA and 1% for anti-ENA. There were no

statistically significant differences in the percentage of positive

ANA, aCL, anti-beta(2)-GPI, LA and anti-ENA before, 1 month and 6

months after the vaccination. One month after the vaccination 24% of

participants demonstrated changes in the levels of autoantibodies

including 15% of participants with increased level of autoantibodies

or appearance of new autoantibodies. Six months after the vaccination

26% of participants demonstrated changes in the levels of

autoantibodies including 13% of participants with increased level of

autoantibodies or appearance of new autoantibodies. Persistently

elevated levels of autoantibodies were observed in 7 (8%) participants

and 2 showed progressively increased levels of IgM aCL or IgA

anti-beta(2)-GPI, respectively. Eleven participants had a transient

increase in autoantibodies.

DISCUSSION: Influenza vaccination in general did not alter the

percentage of healthy adults with positive autoantibodies. Transiently

or persistently increased levels of autoantibodies or appearance of

new autoantibodies was demonstrated in up to 15% of apparently healthy

adults after the influenza vaccination.

PMID: 18700173

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18700173

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Not an MD