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- Title
Humoral immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases under treatment with Rituximab: a case–control study (COVID-19VacRTX).
- Authors
Schumacher, Falk; Mrdenovic, Nikola; Scheicht, Dennis; Pons-Kühnemann, Jörn; Scheibelhut, Christine; Strunk, Johannes
- Abstract
Objectives Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) treated with the anti-CD20 mAb rituximab (RTX) have been identified as high-risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Additionally, there is increased risk due to reduced humoral immune response, induced by therapeutic B cell depletion. This study sought to quantify humoral response after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with IRD treated with RTX. It also sought to elucidate the influence of the time frame between the last RTX dose and the first vaccination, or the status of B cell depletion on antibody titre. Methods In this case–control study, patients with IRDs previously treated with RTX were examined for humoral immune response after completing the first series of vaccinations with approved vaccines [BNT162b2 (Biontech/Pfizer), RNA-1273 (Moderna), AZD1222 (AstraZeneca/Oxford), Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen/Johnson & Johnson)]. Antibody levels were quantified using the Euroimmun Anti-SARS-CoV-2 QuantiVac ELISA (EI-S1-IgG-quant). Blood samples were taken just before the next infusion with RTX after the vaccination. The interval between the last RTX infusion and the first vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and other possible factors influencing the antibody levels were evaluated. Results A total of 102 patients were included. Of these, 65 (64%) showed a negative antibody level (<24 IU (international unit)/ml) after the vaccination. The comparative univariate analysis of the antibody levels achieved a significant result (P = 0.0008) for the time between the last RTX infusion and first vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. No CD19+ peripheral B-cells could be detected in 73 of the patients (72%). Conclusion The study confirms the negative impact of RTX on antibody level after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. A clear relationship exists between the antibody titre and the interval between the last RTX infusion and the first vaccination, the number of peripheral B-cells, and immunoglobulin quantity. Improved understanding of the effect of these parameters can help guide synchronization of vaccination in relation to the RTX therapy regimen.
- Subjects
DRUG therapy for rheumatism; RITUXIMAB; STATISTICS; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; CASE-control method; ANTINEUTROPHIL cytoplasmic antibodies; IMMUNITY; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay; RHEUMATISM; VASCULITIS
- Publication
Rheumatology, 2022, Vol 61, Issue 10, p3912
- ISSN
1462-0324
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/rheumatology/keac036