Antibody prevalence after three or more COVID-19 vaccine doses in individuals who are immunosuppressed in the UK: a cross-sectional study from MELODY
An erratum to this article was published (Lancet Rheumatol, Oct 2023 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
Approximately one in five recipients of solid organ transplants, individuals with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases, and individuals with lymphoid malignancies have no detectable IgG anti-spike antibodies despite three or more vaccine doses, but this proportion decreases with sequential booster doses. Choice of immunosuppressant and disease type is strongly associated with serological response.
Study context
- Population
- Immunosuppressed adults (≥18 years) resident in the UK who had received at least three COVID-19 vaccine doses23,036 with serological data
- Participants
- 28,411 adults
- Exposure
- Seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by demographic, disease and treatment characteristics across three immunosuppressed cohorts
- Solid organ transplantsn = 9,927
- Rare autoimmune rheumatic diseasesn = 6,516
- Lymphoid malignanciesn = 6,593
- Outcome
- Undetectable IgG anti-spike antibodies (seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein) after at least three COVID-19 vaccines
Methodological detailsUK national disease registries, home lateral flow immunoassay, multivariable logistic regression, Recruitment open Dec 7, 2021, to June 26, 2022; 101 972 screened
- UK national disease registries
- Home lateral flow immunoassay
- Multivariable logistic regression
- Recruitment open Dec 7, 2021, to June 26, 2022; 101 972 screened
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Undetectable IgG anti-spike antibodies
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Factors associated with seropositivity (all groups)
- Seropositivity associated with younger age, higher number of vaccine doses (five vs three) and previous COVID-19
- Lowest odds of seropositivity: transplant recipients on anti-proliferative agent + calcineurin inhibitor + steroids; rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases or lymphoid malignancies treated with anti-CD20 therapies
Original publication
Antibody prevalence after three or more COVID-19 vaccine doses in individuals who are immunosuppressed in the UK: a cross-sectional study from MELODY. Lancet Rheumatol. Published 24 July 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →