COVID-19 anti immunoglobulin G antibodies serum levels among health care workers post COVID -19 vaccination: A single center study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has urged the scientific community internationally to find answers in terms of therapeutics and vaccines to control the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The post vaccination immune response differs between individuals especially health care workers who are the first line of defense to combat this disease. Our aim was to measure levels of anti-IgG antibodies titer post COVID-19 vaccination among health care workers in Suez Canal University Hospital. The study included 141 healthcare workers. Of these, 54 were physicians, 80 nurses, 6 health service workers, and one security guard. We used the Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay for serological detection of IgG. Seropositive was found in 96.5% of the participants, and 43.3% of them had evidence of the prior history of COVID-19 infection. The highest titers of IgG in sera were found in the youngest age groups (20 - <35) years with a mean of 335.1 U/ ml. Participants who received the Sinovac vaccine had the highest mean IgG titer, 354.6U/ml; followed by Sinopharm (mean 352.15 U/ml) then Pfizer and Moderna (311.7U/ml) and AstraZeneca vaccine had the least mean level (267.31U/ml). Fatigue was the most significant short side effect occurring with 34% of the participants. In conclusion, there was a significant rising in serum IgG titer post-vaccine, and better antibody response in those previously infected with COVID-19. The post-COVID-19 vaccine serum IgG titers were affected by age, prior history of COVID-19 infection, and type of vaccine while short side effects post-vaccination may be affected by age and type of the vaccine.

Psychiatric morbidity associated with some cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-18 and TNF-alpha) among rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Psychiatric morbidity is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and may affect disease activity and immunological markers. We studied the relationship of the psychiatric morbidity and immunological factors; the serum levels of Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-18 (IL-18) and its inducer interleukin-12 (IL-12), and their impact on RA disease activity. Forty-two RA patients and 20 apparently healthy individuals as a control group were included in this study. Psychiatric morbidity was identified according to the International Classification of Disease, tenth version criteria (ICD-10). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the mental health Short Form 36 (SF-36) were applied for further analysis. Serum IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-18 and the TNF-a were measured using Enzyme-Amplified Sensitivity Immunoassays (EASIA) and were correlated with psychiatric morbidity and disease activity as measured by Health Assessment Questionnaire and Overall Status. Psychiatric morbidity was found in 40.48% of the studied patients, the most common psychiatric disorders among RA patients were depressive disorders and anxiety disorders. The SF-36 score was closely correlated to the anxiety and depression score (P < 0.001). RA patients showed high levels of IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-18 and TNF-alpha than the control group. There was a significant correlation between psychiatric morbidity, serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-18, TNF-alpha and disease activity measurements. We have to view rheumatoid arthritis as a psycho-immumological disorder rather than an autoimmune disease. Furthermore, the studied cytokines may be a novel target for therapeutic intervention of rheumatoid arthritis and its psychiatric morbidity.