Third COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose could protect dialysis patients against SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Omicron-dominant period, reveals a recent study published in JASN.
A patient’s response to vaccination or prior infectionas measured by circulating anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levelswas also an important predictor for subsequent risk of infection.
Role Of Antibody Responses and Vaccine Doses
In the study of randomly-selected patients receiving dialysis in the United States, a team led by Shuchi Anand, MD, MS, Pablo Garcia, MD, MS, and Maria Montez Rath, PhD (Stanford University School of Medicine) followed patients’ monthly anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and ascertained COVID-19 infection during the Omicron- dominant period of December 25, 2021 to January 31, 2022 using electronic health records.
‘COVID-19 infection risk was found to be higher among patients with low circulating levels of antiSARS-CoV-2 antibodies.’
Among 3,576 patients receiving dialysis, 901 (25%) received a third mRNA vaccine dose as of December 1, 2022, and early antibody responses to third doses were robust. During the Omicron-dominant period, SARS-CoV-2 infection was documented in 340 (7%) patients.
The risk for infection was doubled among patients without vaccination and nearly 1.5-fold higher with 1-2 doses compared with 3 doses. Irrespective of vaccine doses, the risk for infection was at least 2-fold higher among patients with low circulating levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
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“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and it is clear that COVID-19 will become an endemic infectionthat is, an infection that circulates at regular intervals in our community. In such a situation, it is critical to devise strategies that protect the most medically vulnerable persons with appropriate vaccine doses or additional preventive measures (such as monoclonal antibodies), and early treatments,” said Dr. Anand.
“Measuring a person’s circulating antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 virus may help us identify the highest risk persons eligible for enhanced protection among patients on dialysis, and other immunocompromised or frail populations.”
Source: Eurekalert
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