Patients suffering from an autoimmune disease often require treatment that dampens their immune system. This group of patients is therefore particularly prone to severe courses of COVID-19. It was hitherto unclear whether a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination guarantees an adequate response, particularly in patients taking so-called B-cell-depleting drugs (e.g. rituximab to treat rheumatoid arthritis). In a recently published study by a cross-departmental team from the Medical University of Vienna coordinated by the Division of Rheumatology (Head: Daniel Aletaha) of the Department of Medicine III has now answered this question. Together with his study team, senior author Michael Bonelli showed that the majority of these patients are still able to develop a humoral and cellular immune response.
Michael Bonelli comments: "B cells constitute an important cell population for the development of antibodies. We were able to show that more than 50% of patients receiving B-cell-depleting treatment with rituximab still develop antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and that there is potentially additional protection via a cellular immune response. This underscores the importance of vaccinating immunosuppressed patients against SARS-CoV-2."
meduniwien.ac.at/web/en/ueb...
BMJ Journals - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. Study Paper:
