Sign in Subscribe
COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Affected by Time Interval and Immunosuppressive Treatment

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Rheumatoid arthritis patients who have undergone COVID-19 vaccination experience a decrease in antibody production over time, with immunosuppressive treatments having a negligible effect on vaccine efficacy. This study investigated the durability of humoral immune response in rheumatoid arthritis patients following COVID-19 vaccination, comparing them to healthy controls. The researchers found that while vaccination produced similar antibody levels in both groups, the prevalence of antibody positivity was significantly higher in healthy controls than in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 131 subjects, divided into four groups: unvaccinated rheumatoid arthritis patients (n=49), vaccinated rheumatoid arthritis patients (n=34), unvaccinated healthy controls (n=25), and vaccinated healthy controls (n=23).
  • Blood samples collected 12-16 weeks after the second vaccine dose showed non-significant differences in mean IgG between the four study groups (P = 0.079).
  • Vaccinated rheumatic patients with biological treatment had a mean IgG level of 1.70, higher than those without biological treatment (1.03).
  • The IgG positivity rate was significantly higher among healthy controls (56.3%) than rheumatoid arthritis patients (31.3%), and higher among vaccinated individuals (50.9%) than unvaccinated individuals (32.4%).
  • The researchers concluded that IgG positivity rate decreased mainly in rheumatoid arthritis groups after a medium time interval, with no significant effect for immunosuppressant drugs on vaccination response.

Statistics:

  • 131 subjects were included in the study, divided into four groups.
  • The mean IgG level among vaccinated rheumatic patients on biological treatment was 1.70, compared to 1.03 among non-biological treatment group.
  • The IgG positivity rate was 31.3% among rheumatoid arthritis patients, 56.3% among healthy controls, 50.9% among vaccinated individuals, and 32.4% among unvaccinated individuals.

Sources:

  • Effect of time interval and immunosuppressive treatment on durability of humoral immune response in rheumatoid arthritis patients following COVID-19 vaccination. Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025,29(1):59-68.
  • Researchers at Hawler Medical University Publish New Data on COVID-19 (Effect of time interval and immunosuppressive treatment on durability of humoral immune response in rheumatoid arthritis patients following COVID-19 vaccination). Vaccine Weekly. May 14, 2025; p 304.

Read more