SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibody detection after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: Prospective survey from the Spanish Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy Group

Am J Hematol. 2022 Jan 1;97(1):30-42. doi: 10.1002/ajh.26385. Epub 2021 Nov 2.

Abstract

This is a multicenter prospective observational study that included a large cohort (n = 397) of allogeneic (allo-HSCT; (n = 311) and autologous (ASCT) hematopoietic stem cell transplant (n = 86) recipients who were monitored for antibody detection within 3-6 weeks after complete severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination from February 1, 2021, to July 20, 2021. Most patients (n = 387, 97.4%) received mRNA-based vaccines. Most of the recipients (93%) were vaccinated more than 1 year after transplant. Detectable SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies were observed in 242 (78%) of allo-HSCT and in 73 (85%) of ASCT recipients. Multivariate analysis in allo-HSCT recipients identified lymphopenia < 1 × 109 /ml (odds ratio [OR] 0.33, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.16-0.69, p = .003), active graft versus host disease (GvHD; OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.27-0.98, p = .04) and vaccination within the first year of transplant (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.15-0.9, p = .04) associated with lower antibody detection whereas. In ASCT, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL; OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.02-0.44, p = .003) and active corticosteroid therapy (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.02-0.87, p = .03) were associated with lower detection rate. We report an encouraging rate of SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies detection in these severe immunocompromised patients. Lymphopenia, GvHD, the timing of vaccine, and NHL and corticosteroids therapy should be considered in allo-HSCT and ASCT, respectively, to identify candidates for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies monitoring.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • COVID-19 Vaccines