Recombinant vs Standard Influenza Vaccine in Adults With Severe Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Clin Infect DisSep 2, 2026
Paul Loubet, Sébastien Czernichow, Caroline Giboin et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized clinical trial evaluated the immune response to recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) versus standard-dose vaccine (SD) in adults with severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m²). Conducted in France with 206 participants, RIV showed significantly higher geometric mean hemagglutinin-inhibition titers for A/H1N1 (1.6), A/H3N2 (2.0), and B/Yamagata (1.3) at 28 days post-vaccination, indicating enhanced short-term protection.
Key findings
- RIV elicited a 1.6-fold higher GMT for A/H1N1 compared to SD.
- RIV showed a 2.0-fold increase in GMT for A/H3N2 over SD.
- For B/Yamagata, RIV had a 1.3-fold higher GMT than SD.
- No significant difference in safety and reactogenicity between RIV and SD.
Why it matters
Individuals with severe obesity are at increased risk for severe influenza and may have impaired vaccine responses. Enhanced immune responses from RIV could lead to better protection in this vulnerable population.