Covid vaccine and the elderly, because the recall is important
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A recent study shows an inverse correlation between the age of patients and the effectiveness of the Covid19 vaccine. This observation further reinforces the need for a booster dose in the adult and elderly population.
From the very early stages of the Covid19 pandemic we have learned that age is one of the major risk factors in case of Sars-CoV2 infection. In addition to a general deterioration of health, elderly subjects usually have various comorbidities, i.e. the presence of different pathologies in the same individual, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity that contribute to the greater severity of Covid19.
Fortunately, Covid19 vaccines greatly reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death. But is the effectiveness of vaccines the same within the population?
Probably not, in fact a study that appeared in the last few weeks on Nature Aging shows how patients respond differently according to age. The researchers analyzed the response to the Covid vaccine in a group of patients aged between 22 and 99. The vaccine response parameters were:
- production of neutralizing antibodies
- production of B lymphocytes
- production of T lymphocytes
- production of memory lymphocytes
We know that mRNA vaccines stimulate both the innate immune system, i.e. the first-line defenses against an infection (fever and inflammation), but also the adaptive immune system, therefore the production of specific antibodies, T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, memory cells, natural killer etc.
The study shows that the production of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV2 decreases with increasing age and reaches a minimum at the age of 99. The researchers then segmented the population into 3 brackets 22-40, 41-65 and 66-99 and evaluated the other immune parameters by observing that the first two age groups respond similarly to the vaccine while the third (66-99) always responds in a lesser way.
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The lower response to the vaccine can be explained by the phenomenon of immunosenescence, that is, the progressive and irreversible aging of the immune system.
Immunosenescence makes us more prone to developing infections, makes vaccinations less effective, and also increases the incidence of some cancers. In fact, we know that the immune system plays a fundamental role in identifying and destroying cancer cells as soon as they form, so as we age the probability of error increases but also the possibility that our immune system does not notice it increases.
Let us remember that in addition to the natural phenomenon of immunosenescence observed in the elderly, the Sars-CoV2 virus continues to mutate, constantly trying to escape from our immune system, therefore vaccination in the elderly is even more recommended.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE:
- the population responds differently to the Covid19 vaccine
- the elderly are more at risk of Covid19 for several reasons
- the vaccine in elderly subjects (> 65 years) is less effective
- boosters help the immune system manage future Sars-Cov2 infections
REF:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-022-00292-y
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.13.22281024v1
https://www.salute.eu/2022/08/22/news/covid_gravita_anziani_cause-362244452/
Aureliano Stingi, doctor in molecular biology works in the field of precision oncology. He collaborates with the World Health Organization in the battle against Covid19-themed fake news
Instagram: Aureliano _Stingi Twitter: @AurelianoStingi
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