Physical Inactivity and Smoking Increase Risk for Serious Infections in Older Women

Leveille, Suzanne G.; Gray, Shelly L.; LaCroix, Andrea Z.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Black, Douglas J.; Guralnik, Jack M.

doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb03867.x

Cited by 19 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…One large study that included older as well as younger adults demonstrated that the risk of community-acquired pneumonia decreased with increasing physical activity in women (Baik et al 2000). In a separate study, women aged 55 to 80 were followed for a period of 6 years, and physical inactivity was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization due to infection (Leveille et al 2000). Kostka and colleagues (2000) followed adults aged 66–84 for one year to assess both the number of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) per year and the number of days with URTI.…”

Section: Exercise and Immunosenescencementioning

confidence: 99%

Immunological outcomes of exercise in older adults

Senchina¹,

Kohut²

2007

Clinical Interventions in Aging

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Aging is associated with a dysregulation of the immune system known as immunosenescence. Immunosenescence involves cellular and molecular alterations that impact both innate and adaptive immunity, leading to increased incidences of infectious disease morbidity and mortality as well as heightened rates of other immune disorders such as autoimmunity, cancer, and inflammatory conditions. While current data suggests physical activity may be an effective and logistically easy strategy for counteracting immunosenescence, it is currently underutilized in clinical settings. Long-term, moderate physical activity interventions in geriatric populations appear to be associated with several benefits including reduction in infectious disease risk, increased rates of vaccine efficacy, and improvements in both physical and psychosocial aspects of daily living. Exercise may also represent a viable therapy in patients for whom pharmacological treatment is unavailable, ineffective, or inappropriate. The effects of exercise impact multiple aspects of immune response including T cell phenotype and proliferation, antibody response to vaccination, and cytokine production. However, an underlying mechanism by which exercise affects numerous cell types and responses remains to be identified. Given this evidence, an increase in the use of physical activity programs by the healthcare community may result in improved health of geriatric populations.

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Section: Exercise and Immunosenescencementioning

confidence: 99%

Immunological outcomes of exercise in older adults

Senchina¹,

Kohut²

2007

Clinical Interventions in Aging

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“…Enhanced T--cell responses may be associated with stronger immunity to control viral and bacterial infections: It has been reported that physically active elderly women have a lower risk of community--acquired pneumonia compared to seden-tary elderly women (Baik et al 2000). On the other hand, a lack of regular exercise is associated with an increased the risk of hospitalization due to infection (Leveille et al 2000). This concept concurs with another study suggesting that physical ac-tivity may increase mucosal immune responses in the elderly, promoting re-sistance to upper respiratory infections (Sakamoto et al 2009).…”

Section: Regular Moderate--intensity Physical Activity Is Associated mentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychoneuroendocrine interventions aimed at attenuating immunosenescence: a review

et al. 2013

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There is evidence suggesting that immunosenescence can be accelerated by external factors such as chronic stress. Here we review potential psychoneuroendocrine determinants of premature aging of the immune system and discuss available interventions aimed at attenuating immunosenescence. Chronic stress may accelerate various features of immunosenescence by activating key allostatic systems, notably the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The immunological impact of such neuroendocrine dysregulation may be further amplified by a dramatic decline in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels, acting in part as an endogenous glucocorticoid antagonist. Stress-buffering strategies show beneficial effects on various biomarkers in elderly populations. Likewise, supplementation of DHEA, melatonin or growth hormone has yielded significant beneficial effects in a number of studies, including: increased well-being, memory performance, bone mineral density and improved immunocompetence as evidenced by results of in vitro (T cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, cytokine production), and in vivo immune challenges. However, the side-effects of hormonal supplementation are also discussed. Finally, moderate exercise via the promotion of cortisol/DHEA balance or epigenetic modifications, is associated with lower serum pro-inflammatory cytokines, greater lymphoproliferative responses and lower counts of senescent T cells. Taken together, these data suggest that immune system is plastic and immunosenescence can be attenuated psychoneuroendocrine interventions.

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“…On the other hand, sedentary habits seem to be associated with increased infection risk in ageing. Leveille et al observed that physical inactivity in women aged 55-80 (followed for a period of 6 years) was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization largely due to infections (88) .…”

Section: Physical Activity Counteracting Age-induced Immunodepressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical activity, immunity and infection

et al. 2010

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During the last few decades, scientific evidence has confirmed a wide range of health benefits related to regular physical activity. How physical activity affects the immune function and infection risk is, however, still under debate. Commonly, intensive exercise suppresses the activity and levels of several immune cells, while other immune functions may be stimulated by moderate physical activity. With this knowledge, the understanding of the relationship between different levels of physical activity on the immune function has been raised as a potential tool to protect health not only in athletes but also in the general population; the mechanisms that translate a physically active lifestyle into good health continue to be investigated. Reviewing the literature, although several outcomes (i.e. the mechanisms by which different levels and duration of physical activity programmes affect numerous cell types and responses) remain unclear, given that the additional benefits encompass healthy habits including exercise, the use of physical activity programmes may result in improved health of elderly populations. Moderate physical activity or moderate–regulated training may enhance the immune function mainly in less fit subjects or sedentary population and the pre-event fitness status also seems to be an important individual factor regarding this relationship. Although adequate nutrition and regular physical activity habits may synergistically improve health, clinical trials in athletes using nutritional supplements to counteract the immune suppression have been inconclusive so far.Further research is necessary to find out to what extent physical activity training can exert an effect on the immune function.

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Physical Inactivity and Smoking Increase Risk for Serious Infections in Older Women

Cited by 19 publications

References 28 publications

Immunological outcomes of exercise in older adults

Immunological outcomes of exercise in older adults

Psychoneuroendocrine interventions aimed at attenuating immunosenescence: a review

Physical activity, immunity and infection

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