Profile of the Immune Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine in Dialysis Patients

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis B poses a significant global public health challenge. Our objective is to assess the immune response to the hepatitis B vaccine among Tunisian chronic dialysis patients at a private dialysis center and identify factors associated with a poor response to the vaccine. MATERIALS-METHODS: This retrospective, single-center, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on patients undergoing dialysis at the Fatimides Hemodialysis Clinic in Mahdia from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023. All patients received a four-dose recombinant rDNA vaccination protocol against HBV. The evaluation criterion was an anti-HBV antibody titer of less than 10 IU/L. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The average age of the study population is 55 years, with a sex ratio of 1.96. Elderly individuals comprise 41.5% of the population. A statistically significant difference between the responder and non-responder groups to hepatitis B vaccination was observed in diabetics, elderly subjects, and patients who had undergone dialysis for more than 5 years. CONCLUSION: Several factors are associated with a poor response to the HBV vaccine. Among these, the elderly population constitutes an important factor, possibly due to the aging of the immune system.

Keywords

• Hepatitis B
• Hemodialysis
• Vaccination
• Immune response