Immune function did not decline with aging in apparently healthy, well-nourished women

Nutrition plays a crucial role in immune function. Most studies on age-asso ciated changes in immunocompetence in healthy adults did not examine the nu tritional status of participants extensively. Inadequate nutritional status may confound the relationship of aging and immune response. The purpose of this study was to examine age-related changes in parameters of acquired an d innate immunity in healthy and generally well-nourished older (62-88 year s) versus younger (20-40 years) women. Subjects were screened for participa tion using the health criteria of the SENIEUR protocol as well as a number of nutrition criteria related to undernutrition, and protein, iron, vitamin B-12, and folate status. Young and old women did not differ in total T (CD 3 +), T-helper (CD4 +), or T-cytotoxic (CD8 +) cell number. However, older women tended to have lower T-cell proliferation response to concanavalin A (P < 0.10) and significantly reduced response to phytohemagglutinin (P I 0. 05). No age-related changes were noted in natural killer cell number or cyt otoxicity. Phagocytosis and subsequent oxidative burst activity also did no t differ between young and old women. Most immune parameters were not compr omised with aging in this cohort of apparently healthy, well-nourished wome n. These findings highlight the importance of simultaneous examination of h ealth and nutritional status in studies of immune function with aging. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.