Standard-dose Versus High-dose Flu Vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant.

Influenza infection in recipients of solid organ transplants recipients while on maintenance immunosuppressant therapy is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although influenza vaccination is recommended in these high-risk patients, safety and immunogenicity of commercially available different strengths of influenza vaccine have not been established. The primary study objective is to determine the safety and immunogenicity of Fluzone and Fluzone High-Dose, with a secondary objective to determine the tolerability and efficacy of two different strengths of trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV, flu vaccine). Both vaccines are commercially available for use in the general population. Fluzone is approved for use in 6 months of age and older, and Fluzone High-Dose is approved for use in 65 years of age and older. This is an exploratory, open-label, parallel group, observer blinded, prospective study. All recipients of kidney, lung, heart transplants who attend for post-transplant follow-up, at least 30-days after transplantation at Inova Fairfax Hospital Transplant Center will be eligible for enrollment. Enrolled patients will be followed for three months (a total of 4 visits) following enrollment and randomization: day 0 (enrollment) and follow-up visits at weeks 1, 4, 8, and 12.