ABSTRACT
Background. To describe post-COVID-19 vaccination [fully vaccinated (FV) and first booster] immune response and occurrence of reinfection ( >90 days from prior infection) in nursing home residents (NHr) with/without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods. In a longitudinal prospective cohort of 36 NHr from 3 NHs, interviews, chart ions, and specimens [blood and anterior nasal swabs (ANs)] were collected at baseline and monthly visits. ANs underwent molecular and BinaxNOWTM antigen testing. Quantitative Meso Scale Discovery platform tested blood specimens for anti-spike (S) protein and anti-nucleocapsid (N) antibodies. In addition, in a subset (n=13), S-specific memory B cells (MBCs) were tested with ELISpot assays. Results. The cohort's median age was 72 years;46% male, 64% White Non-Hispanic, 80% had >=3 comorbidities, and 29 (81%) had prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of 36, 76% received Pfizer-BioNTech and 24% Moderna homologous vaccine. The median distribution of anti-S IgG concentrations among those with prior infection increased 15-30 days post-FV, remained stable for 90 days, and declined by 120 days. The anti-S IgG remained above the estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) thresholds published [Pfizer-BioNTech (95% VE: 530 BAU/ml), Moderna (90% VE: 298 BAU/ml)]. Among those without previous infection, anti-S IgG declined after 60 days and stayed near the VE thresholds until a recent infection/booster. Age, sex, and comorbidities had no appreciable impact on anti-S IgG. From enrollment to November 2021, 1of 29 had reinfection. From December 2021 to January 2022, 2 of 7 had a new infection, and 4 of 29 had reinfection, as shown by anti-N IgG rise. Persistently low numbers of total and anti-S MBC were seen across the evaluation, even with post-booster anti-S MBC rise. There was an immediate rise in anti-S IgG concentrations in all participants post-booster, irrespective of recent infection. Conclusion. These findings from a NH convenience cohort suggest that prior SARS-CoV-2 infection has a pronounced immunomodulatory enhancing effect on the magnitude and duration of FV immune response. The decline of anti-S antibodies post-FV and rise after booster supported the booster recommendation in this cohort. The low MBC counts indicate immunosenescence in this high-risk population.
ABSTRACT
Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complication that has been described among severely ill patients with COVID-19 and may be more common in those with underlying chronic kidney disease (CKD). Some patients with AKI require renal replacement therapy (RRT), including continuous RRT (CRRT). During the COVID-19 pandemic, some US areas experienced CRRT supply shortages. We sought to describe the percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who developed AKI or needed RRT to inform patient care and resource planning. Methods: We searched for studies in the literature and public health investigations that described CKD, AKI, and/or RRT in COVID-19 patients from January 2020 onward. Studies were excluded if no CKD, AKI, or RRT information was provided. We abstracted counts of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, including those admitted to intensive care units (ICU) who developed AKI, underwent RRT, and/or had CKD. Data were pooled across cohorts by geographic region with available data (US, China, or United Kingdom [UK]). We compared proportions using Chi-square tests. Results: A total of 311 studies were identified;23 studies (US n=11;China n=11;UK n=1) that described kidney disease and/or kidney-related outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients were included. Underlying CKD prevalence was higher in US cohorts (10.3%) compared with China (2.5%) or UK (1.5%) (p< 0.0001). AKI was markedly higher among hospitalized (31.3% vs. 6.4%;p < 0 .001) and ICU patients (55.4% vs. 18.2%;p< 0.0001) in the US compared to China. The percent of ICU patients requiring RRT in the US (16.8%) was significantly different from that reported in China (12.5%) and the UK (23.9%) (p< 0.0001). Limitations include differences in CKD and RRT definitions across studies. Conclusion: AKI is a frequent outcome among US COVID-19 patients, affecting almost one third of hospitalized and more than half of ICU patients. AKI was reported more frequently in the US than China. The percent of ICU patients who received RRT was higher in the US and UK than in China. Understanding the occurrence of kidney-related outcomes among patients with COVID-19 including the impact of underlying CKD and regional practice variations is essential for healthcare systems to successfully plan for RRT needs during the pandemic.