Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Korea

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science 2023, 38(5), , pp.1-7
• Main Authors: Song, Seung Hwan, Chung, Ku Yong, Jee, Yongho, Chung, Hae-Sun, Kim, Kina, Minn, Dohsik, Kim, Soo-Kyung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Brief Communication; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Kidney Transplantation; Republic of Korea; SARS-CoV-2; Transplant Recipients; Vaccination; 의학일반
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e22

Eighty-five Korean kidney transplant recipients who received three doses of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine were tested with anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody and neutralizing antibody. High anti-RBD antibody (≥ 100 U/mL) and neutralizing antibody responses (≥ 30%) were detected in 51/85 (60.0%) patients. When we divided the patients with the time from transplantation to vaccination (< 1, 1-2.4, 2.5-4.9, and ≥ 5-year), anti-RBD antibody titers were 3.2 U/mL, 27.8 U/mL, 370.2 U/mL, and 5,094.2 U/mL ( < 0.001) and anti-neutralizing antibody levels were 2.2%, 11.6%, 45.6%, and 93.0% ( < 0.001), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed increased antibody responses when the time from transplantation to vaccination was five years or longer (odds ratio, 12.0; confidence interval, 2.7-52.8). Korean kidney transplant recipients had suboptimal antibody responses after the third dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. A shorter time from transplantation to vaccination was a risk factor for a low antibody response.