Effect of influenza vaccination on resting metabolic rate and c-reactive protein concentrations in healthy young adults.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Uncontrolled prospective within-subject repeated-measures study
PubMed 38100425 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0295540
What was done
Seventeen healthy young adults were evaluated before and after receiving an influenza vaccine to assess the relationship between mild immune stimulation and resting energy expenditure. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured using indirect calorimetry, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were quantified via high-sensitivity immunoassays from dried blood spots at baseline, day two, and day seven post-vaccination. Changes were analyzed using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests and linear mixed-effects models.
What was found
Influenza vaccination led to a significant increase in CRP from a baseline of 1.39 ± 1.26 mg/L, rising by 1.47 ± 1.37 mg/L on day two (p < 0.0001; a 106% increase) and remaining 1.32 ± 2.47 mg/L above baseline on day seven (p = 0.05). There were no statistically significant changes in RMR from baseline to day two (p = 0.98) or day seven (p = 0.21; absolute RMR values were not reported in the abstract). Changes in CRP did not correlate with or predict RMR variation across days (p = 0.46).
Why it matters
These findings suggest that the mild systemic inflammation induced by standard influenza vaccination does not produce a detectable increase in whole-body resting metabolic rate in healthy young adults.
Limits
The study had a very small sample size (n = 17) and lacked an unvaccinated control group to account for normal day-to-day metabolic variation. Absolute RMR values were not reported in the abstract, and results in healthy young adults may not generalize to other demographics.
Cited by
- supports The body's metabolic rate increases and burns more energy during an active infection and immune response.