Post-COVID-19 Vaccination Antibodies Detected in Psoriatic Patients

Éva Anna Piros, PhD

A new investigation into COVID-19 found that detectable antibodies against the virus appeared 10-21 days after the administration of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis receiving biologic therapy.

Though psoriasis does not increase the risk of COVID-19 infection, it was unknown whether biological anti-psoriatic therapies affected vaccinations from the virus.

As such, investigators led by Éva Anna Piros, PhD, Department of Dermatology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, assessed antibody formation and the incidence of side effects after COVID-19 vaccinations in psoriatic patient receiving different biologics compared to healthy controls.

The Methods

The study offered the first preliminary analysis of the team’s multi-center prospective observational cohort study. Enrollment began in February 2021 at Semmelweis University.

Inclusion criteria was comprised of psoriatic disease for more than 6 months and moderate-to-severe psoriasis. (PASI≥10andDLQI≥10) with stable disease activity and maintenance period of the applied antipsoriatic systemic biological therapy including TND, IL-12/23, IL-17, or IL-23 inhibitors.

None of the patients received MTX therapy, and all were older than 18 years.

Patientswereexcludediftheyhadapolymerasechainreaction(PCR)provencurrentorpreviousCOVID-19infection,a previoussevere vaccinationreaction such as anaphylaxis),or knownprimaryimmunodeficiencythataffectsadaptive immunity.

Investigators collected 5 mililiters of blood samples from all participants 14-21 days after the administration of the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Side effects were registered after both vaccinations.

The team examined the effects of the vaccines together, noting that the mechanism and efficacy of both vaccines were similar.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 specific antibodies were analyzed using Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S immunoassay instrument.

The Findings

A total of 102 adult patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were enrolled in the study, 41 of whom were women. The median age of patients was 56.2.

All enrolled patients received 1 of the currently used systemic biological therapies in a maintenance dose regimen.

Of the 102 patients, 57 (55.88%) received tumor necrosis factor (TNF), 28 (27.45%) receivedinterleukin(IL)-12/23,16(15.68%)receivedIL-17,and1(0.99%)receivedIL-23 inhibitors.

Investigators observed no significantdifferencesinthemedianserumlevelofanti-SARS-CoV-2S antibody between thestudypopulationandthecontrolgroup(medianIQRrange: 1681.0U/ml(600.0-4844.0)vs.1984.0U/ml(1000.0-3136.0;p=0.82).

Additionally, the most frequent side effects of the vaccines within 7 days after administration of both doses were arm pain on the side of injection (23.53%and23.53%),fatigue(9.80%and13.72%), headache (4.9% and 5.88%) and chills or shivering (4.9% and 8.82%).

“Comparing our results to the published data, side effects occurred at a lower incidence,” the team wrote. “Further examinations are needed to assess the maintenance of antibodies produced in response to the currently used vaccines.”

The study, "Seroconversion after anti-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations among moderate-to-severe psoriatic patients receiving systemic biologicals – Prospective observational cohort study," was published online in Dermatologic Therapy.