TINO: T Cells in the Nose of Older Adults

Launched by LEIDEN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · Sep 8, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The TINO trial is studying how age affects the immune system in the nose, particularly focusing on T cells, which are important for fighting infections. As people get older, they are more likely to get serious respiratory infections like pneumonia, but it's not clear why. This study looks at the differences in T cells between young adults and older adults, especially those who may be more frail. The goal is to understand how changes in these immune cells might make older adults more susceptible to infections.

To participate, you need to be an adult who can give consent. There are three groups of participants: healthy young adults aged 18-30, healthy older adults over 65, and frail older adults over 65. Participants will provide nasal samples and will be monitored over time to see how T cells change and how these changes relate to respiratory infections. If you have certain health conditions, like asthma or a recent respiratory infection, you may not be eligible. This study is currently recruiting participants and aims to provide important insights into how aging affects immunity in the respiratory system.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • •Adults able and willing to provide informed consent.
• Specific inclusion criteria per group:
• • Young adults aged 18-30 years old
• • Healthy elderly aged \>65 years old
• • Frail elderly \>65 years old
• • Clinical Frailty score healthy elderly 1-3
• • Clinical Frailty score frail elderly \>3
• • Self-reported respiratory tract infection in previous year healthy elderly 0-1
• • Self-reported respiratory tract infection in previous year frail elderly 0-1 or \>1
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Incompetence to provide informed consent prior or during study
• • Current smoker or \>40 pack year history
• • History of severe nose bleedings
• • Diagnosed with asthma, COPD or chronic rhinosinusitis
• • Use of inhalation corticosteroids or antibiotics in the past 6 weeks
• • Current use of anti-coagulants (to prevent nosebleeds). Platelet inhibitors like acetylsalicylzuur (Ascal) are allowed.
• • Respiratory tract infection or common cold in the past 2 weeks
• • Immunocompromised individuals (with primary immune deficiency or secondary immune deficiency)
• • Life expectancy \<28 days in the opinion of study physician
• • Vaccination in the 2 months prior to study start. A potential subject that is only excluded from participation based on a recent vaccination will be asked to re-participate 2 months post vaccination.