Antibody responses after first and second Covid-19 vaccination in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

H Parry, G McIlroy, R Bruton, M Ali, C Stephens, S Damery, A Otter, T McSkeane, H Rolfe, S Faustini, N Wall, P Hillmen, G Pratt, S Paneesha, J Zuo, A Richter, P Moss

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Abstract

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is associated with immunosuppression and patients are at increased clinical risk following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Covid-19 vaccines offer the potential for protection against severe infection but relatively little is known regarding the profile of the antibody response following first or second vaccination. We studied spike-specific antibody responses following first and/or second Covid-19 vaccination in 299 patients with CLL compared with healthy donors. 286 patients underwent extended interval (10-12 week) vaccination. 154 patients received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and 145 patients received ChAdOx1. Blood samples were taken either by venepuncture or as dried blood spots on filter paper. Spike-specific antibody responses were detectable in 34% of patients with CLL after one vaccine (n = 267) compared to 94% in healthy donors with antibody titres 104-fold lower in the patient group. Antibody responses increased to 75% after second vaccine (n = 55), compared to 100% in healthy donors, although titres remained lower. Multivariate analysis showed that current treatment with BTK inhibitors or IgA deficiency were independently associated with failure to generate an antibody response after the second vaccine. This work supports the need for optimisation of vaccination strategy in patients with CLL including the potential utility of booster vaccines.

Original languageEnglish
Article number136
Number of pages8
JournalBlood Cancer Journal
Volume11
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jul 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We would like to thank the patients for their time and willingness to take part and also the charities for their support, including CLLSA, Leukaemia Care and Blood Cancer UK. We also thank Millie Manning, Danielle Sutherland, Tamsin Drury and Alex Bray for their help in recruitment and Rajinder Jeet and Shahada Rahman Joli with phlebotomy services. This work was partially supported by the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC) funded by DHSC/UKRI and the National Core Studies Immunity programme.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antibody Formation
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

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