We have an update from one of the research projects LUPUS UK funded, which was looking at the response of people with lupus to COVID-19 vaccines. You can read about what they found on our website here: lupusuk.org.uk/understandin...
Feel free to comment with any questions and I'll do my best to answer them or point you in the right direction for some information.
Take care
Debbie
Well done Lupus UK for funding such important research.
I wonder why the funding was not rounded up to the nearest pound?
Sometimes research budgets and funding is just oddly specific!
No worries, it was a slightly tongue in cheek question.
It's pretty much what we thought and now it's confirmed by this research. Thank you lupus UK for funding this 🙏 My question is this. Many of us are catching covid now and I'm wondering if there's any studies on how or indeed if our immune systems will be able to recognise and attack the virus. Does having covid boost our immune systems? I'm at the stage now here I'm not sure if I want to take another booster..and then another and another etc.
Hi KrazyKat
It’s a little unclear how much of an immune response you get after a COVID-19 infection – the research in people without lupus suggests that some people have a high level of response but others have a low response, so it can’t be assumed that because someone has had COVID-19 that they have also developed an immune response to it. But this research also suggests that, if there is a low response, it can be boosted by vaccines, which is why people are encouraged to have a vaccine whether they have had COVID-19 or not. This was not research done with people who have suppressed immune systems or lupus specifically, so it’s unclear how much immune response people with lupus have after COVID-19 infection (I’ll have a look at some research that has come out more recently on Monday and reply again if I find any specific information).
What is suggested from research, like the study in this article, and others looking at vaccine effectiveness in immunosuppressed people more generally, is that that vaccine effectiveness is reduced for those who are immunosuppressed. For some, though not all, immunosuppressed people, this is improved by further doses. But that the protection from further doses can also wane over time. This is why people who are immunosuppressed are usually offered more regular boosters than people who are not immunosuppressed. We have some information on this in our long article on lupus and COVID-19 vaccines: lupusuk.org.uk/covid19-vacc...
If you’re feeling unsure about what might be best for you personally, it could be worth having a conversation with your doctor about it to make an informed decision.
Take care
Debbie
Hi Debbie, thank you for this. Do you know if they compared different groups of lupus patients to see to what degree this lower response to covid vaccines was due to medications or to lupus itself?
Hi Tykle
Great question! These results in the article refer to all lupus patients in their study. However, in their summary report to us they said they are doing some statistical work to compare groups of lupus patients in their study, for example if the results are different for people who have different levels of disease activity or on different medication. Their initial work suggested there may be some differences in response related to severity of lupus or what type of medication they were on, but they can’t be sure of those findings until they do further work and have more people included in their data. They haven’t published their paper yet, so there may be more detail in that when it comes out (the scientific publishing process is unfortunately very long, so not sure when that will be). I can update when it does.
Take care
Debbie
Thank you Debbie.
Lupus & covid 19 vaccine 
