Serological response to influenza vaccine in patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases: Results of RIER study. / Respuesta serológica en pacientes con enfermedades inflamatorias autoinmunes tras la vacunación de la gripe: resultados del estudio RIER.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Influenza vaccine is recommended for patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases (AIID) on biological therapy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether serological response to Influenza vaccine obtained in patients on biological therapy is similar to that achieved in patients on synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and that obtained in healthy controls. METHODS: We designed a cohort study in which patients with AIID, 68 on biological therapy and 46 on synthetic DMARDs, as well as 48 healthy controls, were included and vaccinated during the 2015-2016 influenza season. ELISA was used to measure Influenza antigen (Ag) A and B antibodies, before and after vaccination. RESULTS: After vaccination, 88.24% of patients on biologics, 71.74% of those on synthetic DMARDs and 89.58% of healthy controls, presented detectable antibodies against antigen A, while 42.65% of subjects on biologics, 41.30% of those on DMARDs and 54.17% of healthy subjects were seropositive against Ag B. We did not find statistical differences. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, biological therapy is not associated with worse serological response.