Antibody responses to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine: infection-naïve individuals with abdominal obesity warrant attention
Abstract
Objective
The excess of visceral adipose tissue might hinder and delay the immune response. How people with abdominal obesity will respond to mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 is yet to be established. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses after the first and second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine comparing the response of individuals affected by abdominal obesity (AO) to those without, discerning between individuals with or without prior infection.
Methods
IgG neutralizing antibodies against the Trimeric complex (IgG-TrimericS) were measured at four time points: at baseline, at day 21 after vaccine dose-1, at one month and three months after dose-2. Nucleocapsid antibodies were assessed to detect prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Waist circumference was measured to determine abdominal obesity.
Results
Between the first and third month after vaccine dose-2, the drop in IgG-TrimericS levels was more remarkable in individuals with AO compared to those without AO (2.44 fold [95%CI: 2.22-2.63] vs 1.82 fold [95%CI: 1.69-1.92], respectively, p<0.001). Multiple linear regression confirmed this result even when adjusting for possible confounders (p<0.001).
Conclusions
Our findings highlight the need to extend the duration of serological monitoring of antibody levels in infection-naive individuals with abdominal obesity, a higher-risk population category in terms of possible weaker antibody response.
Related articles
Related articles are currently not available for this article.