# USE OF AMANTADINE IN THE NURSING HOME

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 1991 · $208,621

## Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control recommendation for amantadine to control
nursing home influenza A outbreaks is "rapid administration to staff and
all residents when outbreaks occur for the duration of influenza
activity in the community".  This recommendation is disconcerting
because: 1) of limited data of its efficacy in nursing home outbreaks;
2) absence of controlled prospective studies demonstrating the ability
of amantadine to reduce influenza or its complications in the nursing
home setting; 3) of the toxicity associated with amantadine use in the
elderly; 4) of the potential transmission of resistant viruses in the
presence of amantadine; and 5) the ambiguity of 'community' and
therefore the recommended duration of prophylaxis.

Our laboratory focus has been on the effect of age upon vaccine
response, influenza susceptibility, and drug toxicity in elderly people
and has led to our current interest in amantadine prophylaxis and
treatment.  We recently demonstrated the emergence and transmission of
amantadine resistant iffluenza A viruses and more severe amantadine
associated toxicity than previously believed in the nursing home
setting.

Assuming that amantadine prophylaxis (in distinction to amantadine
treatment) in the nursing home can effectively limit influenza
outbreaks, we hypothesize that: 1) fewer cases of influenza A will arise
on nursing home floors where clinical cases of influenza treated with
amantadine are removed from the home for the duration of their treanmnt;
2) amantadine, when used to limit influenza outbreaks in the nursing
home setting, will have reduced toxicity with a shorter duration of
prophylaxis; 3) emergence of amantadine resistant influenza strains will
occur independent of the serum amantadine level; and, 4) duration of
amantadine prophylaxis should be based on presence of influenza A within
the nursing home, and not the community at large.

The proposed 5 year study will involve the majority of subjects residing
at a 685 bed rural nursing home.  We will document vaccine response by
measuring influenza antibody titers, monitor subjects to identify
respiratory illnesses and influenza infections, and once influenza is
diagnosed, intervene with a prescribed treatment program that will
involve irspiratory isolation and amantadine administration.  We will
also determine clinical amantadine toxicity, amantadine levels, and
characterize amantadine resistant influenza as compare with amantadine
levels and the associated illness.  At the conclusion of this
prospective clinical trial, we will have a sound basis for future
recommendations regarding the use of amantadine in nursing homes during
the influenza season for both rural and urban settings that will include
strategies to minimize toxicity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3121530
- **Project number:** 1R01AG009632-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** LCLSJAGTNZQ7
- **Principal Investigator:** Stefan Gravenstein
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $208,621
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1991-08-01 → 1996-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3121530

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3121530, USE OF AMANTADINE IN THE NURSING HOME (1R01AG009632-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3121530. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*