Flu shots leave an age gap

Researchers work to improve treatment for elderly

"It seemed to erase some of the effects of aging," Chen said.

Dr. Geoffrey Gorse, an infectious disease specialist at the St. Louis University School of Medicine, found the same benefits in a study of 4,000 elderly patients who had the same concentrations of higher dose flu vaccine formulated for the 2006-2007 flu season.

Chen and Gorse presented their findings this month at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases vaccine research conference in Baltimore. Gorse's work was funded by Sanofi Pasteur, a flu vaccine manufacturer. Chen's study was part of a larger study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Chen, McElhaney and other experts emphasize that the elderly should get a flu shot at the start of the season each fall - but not more than one.

That's because effective vaccines for the elderly will require not only stronger doses that produce more antibodies but entire reformulations that stimulate T cell production, McElhaney said.

"I think we've got a long way to go on this," she said.

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