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Vaccination

mRNA Vaccine May Fail to Protect Transplant Recipients Against COVID-19

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research from the Charles University of Prague, Czech Republic, suggests that the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 may not provide sufficient protection against COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients. The study, published in the American Journal of Transplantation, evaluated the response to the vaccine in 226 kidney transplant recipients and found that 37% of those who received the vaccine still contracted COVID-19, compared to 22% of unvaccinated patients. The severity of the disease was similar in both groups, with a comparable need for hospitalization and mortality rates.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that 37% of vaccinated kidney transplant recipients contracted COVID-19, compared to 22% of unvaccinated patients.
  • The severity of COVID-19 was similar in both groups, with a comparable need for hospitalization (41% vs. 40%) and mortality (14% vs. 9%).
  • Humoral responses induced by vaccination were significantly lower than that after COVID-19 infection.
  • Short post-transplant periods were associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 after vaccination.
  • The study was conducted in kidney transplant recipients, but the findings may have implications for other vulnerable populations who receive mRNA vaccines.

Statistics:

  • 37% of vaccinated kidney transplant recipients contracted COVID-19.
  • 22% of unvaccinated patients contracted COVID-19.
  • 41% of vaccinated patients required hospitalization for COVID-19.
  • 40% of unvaccinated patients required hospitalization for COVID-19.
  • 14% of vaccinated patients died from COVID-19.
  • 9% of unvaccinated patients died from COVID-19.
  • 226 kidney transplant recipients were included in the study.
  • 194 unvaccinated patients were included in the control group.
  • The study sampled patients from the previous pandemic wave.
  • The risk of COVID-19 after vaccination was significantly higher in patients with short post-transplant periods.

Sources:

  • American Journal of Transplantation, 2021.
  • Charles University of Prague, Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Internal Medicine 1, Plzen, Czech Republic.
  • Tomas Reischig, Martin Kacer, Petr Drenko, Lukas Kielberger, Jana Machova, Tomas Vlas, Ondrej Topolcan, Radek Kucera, Stanislav Kormunda.

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