Lymphocytopenia and Anti-CD38 Directed Treatment Impact the Serological SARS-CoV-2 Response after Prime Boost Vaccination in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Abstract

Even though several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have shown high effectiveness in the prevention of COVID-19 in healthy subjects, vaccination response in patients with plasma-cell-related disorders (PCD) remains widely unknown. Here, we report on an analysis describing the serological response after prime-boost SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in PCD patients, as compared to a healthy control group, and on possible influencing factors of serological responses. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of quantitative anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD Ig. A total of 82 patients were included; 67 received mRNA-, eight vector-based and four heterologous vaccinations. SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers (SP-AbT) were assessed in a mean of 23 days (SD ± 11 days) after the first and in a mean 21 days (SD ± 9) after prime-boost vaccination. A positive SP-AbT was detected in 31.9% of PCD patients after the first vaccination, and in 88.9% (44/49) after prime-boost vaccination, which was significantly less likely than that in the control group (100%, 78/78) (p = 0.008). Furthermore, we have been able to validate our previously suggested threshold of 30 CD19+ B lymphocytes/µL as being predictive for SP-AbT development. Despite anti-CD38 directed therapy, quadruplet treatment, higher age and missing deep remission, which correlated negatively with SP-AbT appearance, SP-AbT formation is possible in a majority of myeloma patients after prime-boost vaccination.

Keywords

• multiple myeloma
• SARS-CoV-2 vaccines
• CD19+ B lymphocytes
• anti-CD38-directed therapy
• SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies