The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific (Mar 2023)

Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies and anti-Omicron IgG induced by BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease: an explanatory study in JapanResearch in context

  • Yuta Yamaguchi,
  • Shinichiro Nameki,
  • Yasuhiro Kato,
  • Ryotaro Saita,
  • Tomoharu Sato,
  • Sayaka Nagao,
  • Teruaki Murakami,
  • Yuko Yoshimine,
  • Saori Amiya,
  • Takayoshi Morita,
  • Yasutaka Okita,
  • Takahiro Kawasaki,
  • Jun Fujimoto,
  • Yasutaka Ueda,
  • Yuichi Maeda,
  • Akane Watanabe,
  • Hyota Takamatsu,
  • Sumiyuki Nishida,
  • Yoshihito Shima,
  • Masashi Narazaki,
  • Atsushi Kumanogoh

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 32
p. 100661

Abstract

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Summary: Background: Autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIRD) patients are at high risk of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the medium-term effects of immunosuppressants on vaccine efficacy are unknown. We investigated the duration of humoral responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wild-type and Omicron variant in AIRD patients administered with two doses of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) vaccine. Methods: Serum-neutralizing antibody (NAb) and anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD)/spike antibody levels were measured. Short- and medium-term effects of immunosuppressants were analyzed pre-vaccination (Term 1) and 14–42 days (Term 2) and 100–200 days (Term 3) after the second vaccination. Findings: From Feb 1, 2021, to Feb 28, 2022, 439 AIRD patients and 146 healthy controls were investigated. The seropositivity rate and log10-NAb titers were significantly lower in AIRD patients than in controls at Terms 2 and 3. In rheumatoid arthritis patients, tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors (TNFis) at Term 3, and older age, glucocorticoids, and abatacept at Terms 2 and 3 were risk factors for reduced responses. Anti-Omicron RBD/spike IgG levels strongly correlated with NAb titers. Interpretation: Glucocorticoids, TNFis, and abatacept treatments negatively affect the longevity of humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron, after two vaccine doses. These findings may inform the timing of additional vaccination for AIRD patients. Funding: Cloud Funding of Peace Winds Japan; Center of Innovation Program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI; Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development; Kansai Economic Federation; Mitsubishi Zaidan; and Research Grant from Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development—Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology.

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