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Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases


1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

 

  1. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel. talieviatar@gmail.com, talie@tlvmc.gov.il
  2. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  3. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  4. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Usrael
  5. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  6. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  7. Immunology Laboratory, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  8. Infectious Diseases Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  9. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  10. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  11. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
  12. Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

CER14820
2022 Vol.40, N°7
PI 1299, PF 1305
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PMID: 34494961 [PubMed]

Received: 20/05/2021
Accepted : 05/07/2021
In Press: 07/09/2021
Published: 04/07/2022

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
To assess the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIIRD) patients, and to define clinical factors associated with seropositivity.
METHODS:
A cross sectional study was conducted at a tertiary rheumatology department in Israel. Consecutive patients completed a questionnaire and were tested for SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleoprotein IgG (N-IgG). If this was positive, an anti-S1/S2 spike IgG (S-IgG) test was done. If both were positive, the patient was considered seropositive. Seropositive patients were retested after 3 months.
RESULTS:
The study included 572 AIIRD patients. Thirty patients were found seropositive, for a seroprevalence of 5.24%. The seropositive rate was significantly lower for patients treated with immunosuppressive medications (3.55%, p≤0.01), and specifically for patients treated with biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) (2.7%, p≤0.05). These associations remained significant in the multivariate regressions adjusting for age, sex and exposure to a known COVID-19 patient. A second serology test 3 months later was collected in 21 of the 30 seropositive patients. In a mean±standard deviation (SD) of 166.63±40.76 days between PCR and second serology, 85% were still positive for N-IgG, and 100% were still positive for S-IgG, with a higher mean±SD titre compared to the first S-IgG (166.77±108.77 vs. 132.44±91.18, respectively, p≤0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:
Humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 in AIIRD patients may be affected be immunosuppressive treatment, especially bDMARDs. In patients with AIIRD, titres of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, especially N-IgG antibodies, fade with time, while S-IgG antibodies persist.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.55563/clinexprheumatol/ykin5p

Rheumatology Article