Influenza Vaccination in Immunocompromised Patients
Influenza Vaccination in Immunocompromised Patients
An increasing amount of clinical studies have assessed the immunogenicity of the influenza vaccine in patients receiving biological agents. Overall, it appears that therapy with TNF-α blockers does not reduce the antibody response to the influenza vaccine when used in monotherapy. In a study assessing the immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in 111 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, seroprotection rates after influenza vaccination were similar irrespective if the patient had received adalimumab or not (94.5% in the adalimumab group and 98% in the placebo group). Other studies have also reported similar antibody responses after influenza vaccination in patients receiving TNF-α blockers compared with other nonbiologic drugs. The timing of vaccination in relation to administration of infliximab was assessed by Elkayam et al.. A trend toward a higher immune response was observed in patients that were vaccinated simultaneously to infliximab therapy than in patients who were vaccinated 3 weeks after infliximab therapy.
Patients Receiving TNF-α Blockers
An increasing amount of clinical studies have assessed the immunogenicity of the influenza vaccine in patients receiving biological agents. Overall, it appears that therapy with TNF-α blockers does not reduce the antibody response to the influenza vaccine when used in monotherapy. In a study assessing the immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in 111 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, seroprotection rates after influenza vaccination were similar irrespective if the patient had received adalimumab or not (94.5% in the adalimumab group and 98% in the placebo group). Other studies have also reported similar antibody responses after influenza vaccination in patients receiving TNF-α blockers compared with other nonbiologic drugs. The timing of vaccination in relation to administration of infliximab was assessed by Elkayam et al.. A trend toward a higher immune response was observed in patients that were vaccinated simultaneously to infliximab therapy than in patients who were vaccinated 3 weeks after infliximab therapy.
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