Safety and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in People Living With HIV (PLWH): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Real-World Studies

The safety and immunogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in people living with HIV (PLWH) in real world studies remain controversial. Thus, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to address this issue. Data search were conducted from PubMed, Web of science, and Embase. Adverse events following vaccination, the risk ratio (RR) of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG seroconversion, and the level of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies were compared between the PLWH group and a healthy control group. A total of 10,582 PLWH from 22 studies were included. In our analysis, the incidence of local or systemic adverse events after the first SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose was not statistically different between PLWH and healthy controls. However, there was a statistical difference after the second dose (RR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.71 – 0.98). The seroconversion rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in PLWH was significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-0.98; I2 = 80%, P < 0.01). The anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers in PLWH after full immunization were also significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.98; I2 = 81%, P < 0.01). The safety and tolerance of COVID-19 vaccines in PLWH are acceptable. However, their immunogenicity may be impaired to a certain extent, characterized by a lower IgG seroconversion rate and neutralizing antibody titers compared with healthy individuals. These findings should provide guidance for optimizing future COVID-19 vaccination strategies among PLWH.