Antibody response to influenza vaccination in patients suffering from asthma.

The aim of the study was to assess humoral response to influenza vaccination in 20 children with bronchial asthma vaccinated with split inactivated vaccine. Response to influenza hemagglutinin was assessed before vaccination and after 1 month by hemagglutination inhibition test. Antibody titers were significantly higher after vaccination than before vaccination. The mean fold increase of antibody levels ranged after vaccination from 12.2 to 53.7. The post-vaccination percentage of patients with protective antihemagglutinin antibody titers>or=40 ranged from 95% to 100%. The percentage of patients with at least a 4-fold increase of anthemagglutinin antibody titers ranged after vaccination from 90% to 100%. The results confirmed the immunogenicity and safety of inactivated influenza vaccine in children with asthma. The registered values of all parameters of the immunological response (mean fold increase, protection rate, response rate) fulfilled the requirements of the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products established for healthy people vaccinated against influenza.