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Production and persistence of specific antibodies in COVID-19 patients with hematologic malignancies: role of rituximab

Production and persistence of specific antibodies in COVID-19 patients with hematologic malignancies: role of rituximab

Authors :
Alessandro Re
Giuseppe Rossi
Luigi D. Notarangelo
Angelo Belotti
Valeria Cancelli
Helen C. Su
Jeffrey I. Cohen
A. Anastasia
Luisa Imberti
Virginia Quaresima
Chiara Pagani
Chiara Cattaneo
Alessandra Tucci
Peter D. Burbelo
John A. Chiorini
Kerry Dobbs
Alessandra Sottini
Source :
Blood Cancer Journal, Blood Cancer Journal, Vol 11, Iss 9, Pp 1-7 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2021.

Abstract

The ability of patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) to develop an effective humoral immune response after COVID-19 is unknown. A prospective study was performed to monitor the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLD), multiple myeloma (MM), or myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative syndromes (MDS/MPN). Antibody (Ab) levels to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) protein were measured at +1, +3, +6 months after nasal swabs became PCR-negative. Forty-five patients (9 FL, 8 DLBCL, 8 CLD, 10 MM, 10 MDS/MPS) and 18 controls were studied. Mean anti-N and anti-S-Ab levels were similar between HM patients and controls, and shared the same behavior, with anti-N Ab levels declining at +6 months and anti-S-Ab remaining stable. Seroconversion rates were lower in HM patients than in controls. In lymphoma patients mean Ab levels and seroconversion rates were lower than in other HM patients, primarily because all nine patients who had received rituximab within 6 months before COVID-19 failed to produce anti-N and anti-S-Ab. Only one patient requiring hematological treatment after COVID-19 lost seropositivity after 6 months. No reinfections were observed. These results may inform vaccination policies and clinical management of HM patients.

Details

ISSN :
20445385
Volume :
11
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Blood Cancer Journal
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....84b2622e838d8e2596a78c6efa1b9a63
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41408-021-00546-9