COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity in 16 patients with autoimmune systemic diseases. Lack of both humoral and cellular response to booster dose and ongoing disease modifying therapies

Patients with autoimmune systemic diseases (ASDs) represent a frail population during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The vaccination is the major preventive measure; however, a significant number of ASD patients show an impaired production of anti-COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies (NAb), possibly counterbalanced by adequate T-cell response. The present study aimed at evaluating both humoral and cellular response to COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in this particular setting. Serum NAb titer and T-cell response (measuring interferon gamma –IFN–γ- release) were evaluated 3 weeks after the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, in 17 patients (12 F, mean age 68.8 ± 15.3 SD yrs) with different ASDs, compared to 17 healthy controls (HCs). The analysis excluded one patient reporting symptoms of COVID-19 only after the immunogenicity tests had been performed. The NAb levels were significantly lower in ASD compared to HCs (p