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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic caused concerns whether patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal disease (RMD) treated with conventional (cs) or biologic (b) disease modifying drugs (DMARDs) and/or prednisolone exhibit an adequate immune response to the applied SARS-CoV2 vaccines.ObjectivesWe established the DECODIR study to assess and compare the efficacy of the SARS-CoV2 vaccines administered as part of the national vaccine roll-out: BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 vaccine (Moderna). The vaccines were offered as two doses four weeks apart;followed by a booster vaccination six months later. This national regimen included inflammatory rheumatic patients regardless of their respective anti-inflammatory treatment. We used patients' SARS-CoV2 IgG serum level as proxy for vaccination response (1).MethodsThe study was conducted as a longitudinal prospective cohort study. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthropathies (SpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving their outpatient treatment at the Danish Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Sonderborg, and monitored in the Danish DANBIO registry, were included.Blood samples, Disease activity and treatment information (cs/bDMARD, prednisolone) were collected at baseline (i.e. prior to vaccination), after six weeks, six and twelve months. SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels in serum were assessed by ELISA (Thermo-Fischer), and manufacturer's cut-off (>=10 EliA U/mL) selected as definition of sufficient IgG response. Antibody response was measured and compared at all four time points.Associations between antibody response, age, gender, disease (RA/PsA/SpA), treatment (none, cs/bDMARD or prednisolone) and disease activity were tested using proportional odds regression and bootstrapped tests of medians. Results were reported using mean, median (IqR) and bootstrapped 95% confidence interval (CI) of the median.ResultsA total of 243 patients were included at baseline and all were followed-up after six weeks;data from 233 patients were available at six months and for 229 patients at twelve months' follow-up. Those 229 patients had completed the national vaccination programme.The measurements performed 6 months after baseline demonstrated a per se decrease of IgG levels for the whole study population (median of 2.08 EliA U/mL at 6 months vs. 16 EliA U/mL at 6 weeks). The final measurements performed after twelve months demonstrated a significant increase of IgG levels. Thus, the completed vaccination programme, was followed by a significant increase in IgG levels (median of 100 EliA U/mL at twelve months vs. 16.5 EliA U/mL at six months, p < 0.001).Sufficient response rates were now recorded in all treatment scenarios, also in patients treated with prednisolone or combination of csDMARD and bDMARD. These two groups were at 6 months characterized by significant lower response rates, when compared with patients without any DMARD treatment.ConclusionCompleted vaccination programme defined as two doses plus booster vaccination resulted in a sufficient vaccination response as measured by IgG levels regardless of RA treatment.It is noteworthy that IgG levels increased markedly in patients treated with a combination of cs/bDMARD or oral prednisolone, who had low IgG levels (below manufacturer's cut-off >=10 EliA U/mL) after 6 months. Our results strongly support the efficacy of the complete vaccination programme including the 3rd booster vaccine in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases.Figure 1.Serum IgG-levels at baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months;stratified by antirheumatic treatment. (Box plot showing median and interquartile range).[Figure omitted. See PDF]Reference[1]Schreiber K. et al. Reduced Humoral Response of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies following Vaccination in Patients with Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases— an Interim Report from a Danish Prospective Cohort Study. Vaccines 2022, 10(1), 35;https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10010035AcknowledgementsWe acknowledge all patients contributing to the DANBIO registry.The Danish Rheumatologic Biobank is a knowledged for handling and storage of biological material.Lab chieftechnician Charlotte Drachmann is acknowledged for her assistance.Disclosure of InterestsChristine Graversgaard: None declared, Karen Schreiber Speakers bureau: Lilly, UCB, Henning Jakobsen: None declared, Randi Petersen: None declared, Anders Bo Bojesen: None declared, Niels Steen Krogh: None declared, Bente Glintborg Grant/research support from: Pfizer, AbbVie, BMS, Sandoz, Merete Lund Hetland: None declared, Oliver Hendricks Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Lilly, Novartis.
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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains a major concern whether patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal disease treated with conventional (cs) or biologic (b) disease modifying drugs (DMARDs) exhibit an adequate immune response to the currently available SARS-CoV2 vaccines. There remains an urgent need for more data on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine efficacy to inform healthcare providers on the efficiency of the applied vaccination, potential need of and period for booster and/or re-vaccination. Objectives: To assess and compare the efficacy of the SARS-CoV2 vaccines BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfzer/BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 vaccine (Moderna). (The vaccines were administered as part of the Danish vaccine roll out and offered each with two doses and approximately four weeks apart). Patients' SARS-CoV2 IgG serum level was used as proxy to determine vaccination response. Methods: We established the 'Detection of SARS-CoV2 antibodies in Danish Infammatory Rheumatic Outpatients' study (DECODIR) as a longitudinal prospective cohort study. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthrop-athies (SpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving their outpatient treatment and monitored in the Danish DANBIO registry at the Danish Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (DG), Sonderborg were included (April-June 2021). Bloods, patient reported outcome measurements (PROMS), clinical data and treatment information (cs/bDMARD) were collected at baseline (prior to vaccination) and after six weeks and six months. SARS-CoV2 IgG levels in serum were assessed by ELISA (ThermoFischer), and manufacturer's cut-off (>=10 EliA U/mL) selected as defnition of sufficient IgG response. Associations between antibody response, age, gender, disease (RA/PsA/SpA), treatment with no or cs/bDMARDs and disease activity were tested using proportional odds regression and bootstrapped tests of medians. Results were reported using mean, median (IqR) and bootstrapped 95% confdence interval (CI) of the median. Results: A total of 243 patients were included at baseline and after six weeks;at six months' follow-up data were available for 233 patients. After six weeks, vaccination was followed by a signifcant increase in IgG levels (median of <0.7 EliA U/mL at baseline versus 36.5 EliA U/mL). Patients treated with a combination of both cDMARD and bDMARD had signifcantly lower IgG levels compared to patients without any DMARD treatment (8,2 EliA U/mL vs 19.5 EliA U/mL (p<0.001)). Patients treated with oral prednisolone (any dose) also showed signifcantly lower median IgG levels compared to patients without DMARD treatment (3,8 EliA U/mL vs 19.5 EliA U/mL (p<0.01)). The actual measurements six months after baseline demonstrated a signifcant decrease of IgG levels for the whole study population (median of 16 EliA U/mL at six month vs 36.5 EliA U/mL at six weeks, p < 0.001) (Figure 1). Similar to week 6, lowest response rates were found in patients treated with prednisolone or combination of csDMARD and bDMARD. After 6 months, the proportional odds model revealed signifcantly lower median IgG antibody level in patients who received Pfzer compared to Moderna (median 15 EliA U/mL (95%CI: 13-18) vs 44.5 EliA U/mL (95%CI: 36-83) (p<0.001). Conclusion: IgG levels decreased markedly six months after the initial double dose regimen. Patients treated with a combination of cs/bDMARD or oral pred-nisolone are at higher risk of inadequate vaccine response as measured by IgG level. Our results support the decision for the need of a third booster vaccine in patients with infammatory rheumatic diseases, especially in the case of cs/bDMARD combination treatment and prednisolone. The data may indicate a need for further revaccination in these patients.