Which of the following clinical manifestations of the aging immune system should alert nurse Therese to increased susceptibility to illness in elder clients?
a. increased autoimmune responses
b. increased production of T and B cells
c. increased lymphoid tissue
d. increased circulating lymphocytes
Answer A. Elders experience an increased autoimmune response that puts them at increased risk for such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis and other collagen diseases. The number of T and B cells produced by the body is decreased, making the immune system less efficient. The reduction in T cells may play a role in increased malignancy rates in the elderly. Lymphoid tissue in the elderly is decreased, resulting in lower immune responses. The number of circulating lymphocytes in the elderly is reduced by about 15 percent along with a decline in antibody-antigen reaction making the elder more susceptible to infection.
a. increased autoimmune responses
b. increased production of T and B cells
c. increased lymphoid tissue
d. increased circulating lymphocytes
Answer A. Elders experience an increased autoimmune response that puts them at increased risk for such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis and other collagen diseases. The number of T and B cells produced by the body is decreased, making the immune system less efficient. The reduction in T cells may play a role in increased malignancy rates in the elderly. Lymphoid tissue in the elderly is decreased, resulting in lower immune responses. The number of circulating lymphocytes in the elderly is reduced by about 15 percent along with a decline in antibody-antigen reaction making the elder more susceptible to infection.
