Abstract
Background: Data regarding the association of antibody levels elicited after immunization with the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with epidemiological and clinical parameters are limited.
Methods: We prospectively measured the total (TAbs-RBD) and the neutralizing antibodies (NAbs-RBD) against the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a cohort of 268 Healthcare workers before immunization, 20 days after the 1 st dose and 30 days after the 2 nd dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine. A statistical analysis for possible association of antibodies’ levels with epidemiological and clinical parameters was performed.
Results: The mean age (±SD) of the participants was 45.45 years (±11.93) (range: 24-70 years) and 211 (79.9%) were females. Statistically significant differences were detected regarding both TAbs-RBD and NAbs-RBD between the first and second doses of the vaccine (P < 0.001). The median (IQR) percentage (%) of NAbs-RBD after the 1 st dose was 51.07% (31.60%) and after the 2 nd dose 95.31% (3.70%) (P < 0.001). The correlation between the TAbs-RBD and NAbs-RBD was after the 1 st dose, Spearman’s, rho: 0.861 (P < 0.001) and after the 2 nd dose rho: 0.989 (P < 0.001). Twenty days after the 1 st dose, 56/264 (21.2%) of the participants had low levels of NAbs-RBD, while one month after the 2 nd dose all of them had protective levels of NAbs-RBD. After the 2 nd vaccine dose, a statistically significant negative association of TAbs-RBD was detected for age (P < 0.001), smoking (P = 0.011), and immunosuppressive medications (P < 0.001), while a positive association was detected for BMI (P = 0.004) and systemic adverse events after immunization (P = 0.001).
Conclusion: A significant correlation of TAbs-RBD and NAbs-RBD was detected after both vaccine doses. Older age, smoking, and immunosuppressive medications negatively affected the final antibody level after SARS-CoV-2 immunization. Our findings emphasize the significance of the 2 nd vaccine dose especially in the older age groups.
Keywords: Antibody; BNT162b2; COVID-19; Immunity; SARS-CoV-2; Spike protein.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Immunity, antibody, Spike protein, BNT162b2, 【초록키워드】 neutralizing antibody, BNT162b2 vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine doses, Neutralizing antibodies, spike, antibody, smoking, immunization, healthcare worker, Spike protein, Receptor binding domain, vaccine dose, BNT162b2, Protein, Cohort, RBD, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, Older age, age, epidemiological, antibody levels, BMI, correlation, BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2 mRNA, Protective, association, Clinical parameters, dose, statistical analysis, significant difference, second dose, NAbs, participant, Final, systemic adverse events, positive, clinical parameter, immunosuppressive medications, Spearman, Immunosuppressive medication, females, was performed, median, groups, the vaccine, elicited, statistically significant, IQR, negatively affected, systemic adverse event, 【제목키워드】 Clinical characteristics, epidemiological, Neutralizing, SARS-CoV-2 spike, dose, binding domain,