Immunogenicity decay and case incidence six months post Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine in autoimmune rheumatic diseases patients.

The determination of durability and vaccine-associated protection is essential for booster doses strategies, however data on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 immunity are scarce. Here we assess anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunogenicity decay and incident cases six months after the 2nd dose of Sinovac-CoronaVac inactivated vaccine (D210) in 828 autoimmune rheumatic diseases patients compared with 207 age/sex-balanced control individuals. The primary outcome is the presence of anti-S1/S2 SARS-CoV-2 IgG at 6 months compared to 6 weeks after 2nd vaccine dose for decay evaluation. Secondary outcomes are presence of neutralizing antibodies, percent inhibition by neutralizing, geometric mean titers and cumulative incident cases at 6 months after 2nd dose. Anti-S1/S2 IgG positivity and titers reduce to 23.8% and 38% in patients (p < 0.001) during the six-month follow up and 20% and 51% in controls (p < 0.001), respectively. Neutralizing antibodies positivity and percent inhibition declines 41% and 54% in patients (p < 0.001) and 39.7% and 47% in controls (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis show males (OR = 0.56;95% CI0.40-0.79), prednisone (OR = 0.56; 95% CI0.41-0.76), anti-TNF (OR = 0.66;95% CI0.45-0.96), abatacept (OR = 0.29; 95% CI0.15-0.56) and rituximab (OR = 0.32;95% CI0.11-0.90) associate with a substantial reduction in IgG response at day 210 in patients. Although cellular immunity was not assessed, a decrease of COVID-19 cases (from 27.5 to 8.1/100 person-years; p < 0.001) is observed despite the concomitant emergence and spread of the Delta variant. Altogether we show a reduction in immunity 6-months of Sinovac-CoronaVac 2nd dose, particularly in males and those under immunosuppressives therapies, without a concomitant rise in COVID-19 cases. (CoronavRheum clinicaltrials.gov:NCT04754698).

Strong response after fourth dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in autoimmune rheumatic diseases patients with poor response to inactivated vaccine.

OBJECTIVES: To assess immunogenicity of a heterologous fourth dose of an mRNA (BNT162b2) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD) patients with poor/non-response to inactivated vaccine (Sinovac-CoronaVac). METHODS: A total of 164 ARD patients who were coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poor/non-responders (negative anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG and/or neutralizing antibodies-NAb) to the third dose of Sinovac-CoronaVac received an additional heterologous dose of mRNA (BNT162b2) 3 months after last dose. IgG and NAb were evaluated before and after the fourth dose. RESULTS: Significant increases were observed after the fourth dose in IgG (66.4 vs 95.1%, P < 0.001), NAb positivity (5.5 vs 83.5%, P < 0.001) and geometric mean titre (29.5 vs 215.8 AU/ml, P < 0.001), and 28 (17.1%) remained poor/non-responders. Patients with negative IgG after a fourth dose were more frequently under rituximab (P = 0.001). Negative NAb was associated with older age (P = 0.015), RA (P = 0.002), SSc (P = 0.026), LEF (P = 0.016) and rituximab use (P = 0.007). In multiple logistic regression analysis, prednisone dose ≥7.5 mg/day (OR = 0.34; P = 0.047), LEF (OR = 0.32, P = 0.036) and rituximab use (OR = 0.19, P = 0.022) were independently associated with negative NAb after the fourth vaccine dose. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study to provide evidence of a remarkable humoral response after the fourth dose of heterologous mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in ARD patients with poor/non-response to the third dose of an inactivated vaccine. We further identified that treatment, particularly rituximab and prednisone, impaired antibody response to this additional dose. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov, CoronavRheum #NCT04754698.

Symptomatic polyautoimmunity at diagnosis of 1463 childhood-onset lupus: A Brazilian multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate symptomatic polyautoimmunity (PA) at childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus(cSLE) diagnosis, and its association with demographic data, disease activity, clinical manifestations and laboratorial abnormalities in a large Brazilian cSLE population. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was performed in 1463 cSLE(ACR criteria) patients from 27 Pediatric Rheumatology services. Symptomatic PA was defined according to the presence of more than one concomitant autoimmune disease(AD) and symptomatic multiple autoimmune syndrome(MAS) was defined as three or more AD. An investigator meeting was held to define the protocol. Demographic data, SLICC classification criteria and SLEDAI-2K were evaluated. RESULTS: At cSLE diagnosis symptomatic PA was observed in 144/1463(9.8%) and symptomatic MAS occurred in solely 10/1463(0.7%). In the former group the more frequently observed associated AD were Hashimoto thyroiditis n = 42/144(29%), antiphospholipid syndrome n = 42/144(29%), autoimmune hepatitis n = 26/144(18%) and type 1 diabetes mellitus n = 23/144(15.9%). Further comparisons between cSLE patients with and without PA showed a higher median age(p = 0.016) and lower mean SLICC criteria (p = 0.039) in those with PA. Additionally, these cSLE patients had less renal involvement(35% vs. 44%, p = 0.038) and red blood cell cast(6% vs. 12%, p = 0.042) and more antiphospholipid antibodies(29% vs. 15%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 10% of cSLE had symptomatic PA at diagnosis, particularly endocrine autoimmune disorders and antiphospholipid syndrome. Lupus was characterized by a mild disease onset and MAS was infrequently evidenced. Further studies are necessary to determine if this subgroup of cSLE patients have a distinct genetic background with a less severe disease and a better long-term outcome.