Immune Response to Third and Fourth COVID-19 Vaccination in Hemodialysis Patients and Kidney Transplant Recipients

Patrick Affeldt; Felix Carlo Koehler; Karl August Brensing; Martin Gies; Eva Platen; Vivien Adam; Linus Butt; Franziska Grundmann; Eva Heger; Steffen Hinrichs; Nils Kalisch; Simon Oehm; Gertrud Steger; Maike Wirtz; Thomas Benzing; Dirk Stippel; Florian Klein; Christine Kurschat; Roman-Ulrich Müller; Veronica Di Cristanziano

doi:10.3390/v14122646

Viruses (Nov 2022)

Immune Response to Third and Fourth COVID-19 Vaccination in Hemodialysis Patients and Kidney Transplant Recipients

Patrick Affeldt,
Felix Carlo Koehler,
Karl August Brensing,
Martin Gies,
Eva Platen,
Vivien Adam,
Linus Butt,
Franziska Grundmann,
Eva Heger,
Steffen Hinrichs,
Nils Kalisch,
Simon Oehm,
Gertrud Steger,
Maike Wirtz,
Thomas Benzing,
Dirk Stippel,
Florian Klein,
Christine Kurschat,
Roman-Ulrich Müller,
Veronica Di Cristanziano

Affiliations

Patrick Affeldt: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Felix Carlo Koehler: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Karl August Brensing: Nierenzentrum Bonn, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Martin Gies: KfH-Nierenzentrum Köln-Longerich, 50737 Cologne, Germany
Eva Platen: Nierenzentrum Eifel, 53894 Mechernich, Germany
Vivien Adam: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Linus Butt: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Franziska Grundmann: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Eva Heger: Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany
Steffen Hinrichs: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Nils Kalisch: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Simon Oehm: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Gertrud Steger: Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany
Maike Wirtz: Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany
Thomas Benzing: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Dirk Stippel: Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplant Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Florian Klein: Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany
Christine Kurschat: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Roman-Ulrich Müller: Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Veronica Di Cristanziano: Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122646
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 12
p. 2646

Abstract

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a serious hazard for hemodialysis (HD) patients and kidney transplant (KTX) recipients as they suffer from an impaired immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. In addition, a definition of SARS-CoV-2 IgG titer that indicates a sufficient immune response, especially against new omicron variants, is urgently needed. In the present study, the immune response to either a third or a fourth dose of a mRNA vaccine was investigated in 309 dialysis and 36 KTX patients. SARS-CoV-2 IgG titer thresholds indicating neutralizing activity against wild type (WT) and the omicron variant BA.1 were quantified. After four vaccine doses, a high-neutralizing activity against WT was evidenced in HD patients, whereas the neutralizing rate against BA.1 was significant lower. Concerning KTX recipients, humoral and cellular immune responses after a third vaccination were still highly impaired. This calls for modified omicron-targeting vaccines.

Published in Viruses

ISSN: 1999-4915 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses

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