Background: : Literature data suggests that age, gender and body mass index (BMI) could be associated with difference in immune responses to vaccines. The first goal of the study was to analyze the antibody titre seven days after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine in a group of 248 healthcare workers (HCWs). The second goal was to analyze how antibody titre changes in correlation with age, gender, BMI and hypertension. Methods: : An immunogenicity evaluation was carried out among HCWs vaccinated at the Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri (IFO), Rome, Italy. All HCWs were asked to be vaccinated by the Italian national vaccine campaign at the beginning of 2021. 260 vaccinated HCWs were enrolled in the study. All eligible participants were assigned to receive the priming dose in two weeks' time and the booster dose exactly 21 days thereafter. Blood and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected at baseline and 7 days after second dose of vaccine. Quantitative measurements of IgG antibodies against S1/S2 antigens of SARS-CoV-2 were performed with a commercial chemiluminescent immunoassay. Presence of SARS-Cov-2 in nasopharyngeal swab was determined by commercial RT-PCR testing. Findings: : 248 HWCs were analyzed, 158 women (63.7%) and 90 men (36.3%). After the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine, 99.5% of participants developed a humoral immune response. The geometric mean concentration of antibodies among the vaccinated subjects after booster dose (285.9 AU/mL 95% CI: 249.5À327.7) was higher than that of human convalescent sera (39.4 AU/mL, 95% CI: 33.1À46.9), with p<0.0001. Multivariate linear regression analysis of AU/mL by age, gender and BMI multivariate was performed by the inclusion of covariates. This analysis demonstrated that age (p<0.0001) and gender (p = 0.038

The introduction of COVID-19 vaccines within a very short time represents a triumph of modern medicine. However, patients with cancer were mostly excluded from the registrative phase III trials of COVID-19 vaccine and only small clinical studies evaluating the immunogenicity of the vaccines in this frail population have been available. In this large prospective cohort study including 816 patients, we assessed the reliable impact of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with cancer in comparison with a matched-control group of health-care workers. This clinical issue is very relevant since cancer patients are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19-related complications and death and thus are considered as high priority subjects for COVID-19 vaccination. Moreover, we explored clinical characteristics which could potentially affect the immunogenicity of the vaccine to formulate helpful evidence-based recommendation for a safe and effective vaccination.Research.

Background: The first goal of the study was to analyse the antibody titre 7 days after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine in a group of 248 healthcare workers (HCW). The second goal was to analyse how the antibody titre changes in correlation with age, gender and BMI. Methods: Participants were assigned to receive the priming dose at baseline and booster dose at day 21. Blood and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected at baseline and 7 days after second dose of vaccine. A questionnaire was used to collect data on health characteristics of participants. Results: 248 HWCs were analysed, 158 women (63.7%) and 90 men (36.3%). After the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine, 99.5% of participants developed a humoral immune response. The geometric mean concentration of antibodies among the vaccinated subjects after booster dose (285.9 AU/mL 95% CI: 249.5-327.7); was higher than that of human convalescent sera (39.4 AU/mL, 95% CI: 33.1-46.9), with p<0.0001. The antibody titre was found to be more elevated in young and female participants. A strong correlation of BMI classes with antibody titres was noticed: humoral response was more efficient in the group with under- and normal-weight vs the group with pre- and obesity participants (p<0.0001 at T1). Conclusions: These findings imply that females, lean and young people have an increased capacity to mount humoral immune responses compared to males, overweight and the older population. Although further studies are needed, this data may have important implications for the development of vaccination strategies for COVID-19, particularly in obese people.