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[Immunosenescence: delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity tests in independently-living Chilean elderly individuals]
1Departamento de Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile.
Background:
Delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity tests are a globally accepted test to assess cellular immunity in vivo. The quality and quantity of the response to these type of tests, varies in different populations.
Aim:
To study delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity in a group of healthy Chilean elders.
Material And Methods:
Forty two elders (32 male), aged 60 to 76 years old were studied. Multitest-CMI was applied in the left forearm. This test allows the subcutaneous administration of seven antigens and a glycerin control. Results were compared with those of a group of young adults studied by the authors.
Results:
Among males there was a mean of 2.7 +/- 1.4 positive responses compared with women, that had 1.7 +/- 1 positive responses (p = 0.016). The sum of response diameters was 4.2 +/- 1.5 and 3.6 +/- 1.9 mm in men and women respectively (p = NS). Compared to young adults, elderly women had a lower response to tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and men had a lower response to diphtheria and Proteus mirabilis.
Conclusions:
Elderly people have a less intense response to delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity tests than young adults. This response must be assessed in each population to account for regional variability.