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. 2021 Sep;59(5):635-642.
doi: 10.1016/j.resinv.2021.06.003. Epub 2021 Jun 19.

Side effects and antibody titer transition of the BNT162b2 messenger ribonucleic acid coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine in Japan

Takehiro Izumo  1 , Naoyuki Kuse  2 , Nobuyasu Awano  2 , Mari Tone  2 , Keita Sakamoto  2 , Kohei Takada  2 , Yutaka Muto  2 , Kazushi Fujimoto  2 , Ayae Saiki  2 , Yu Ito  2 , Haruko Matsumoto  2 , Minoru Inomata  2
Affiliations

Side effects and antibody titer transition of the BNT162b2 messenger ribonucleic acid coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine in Japan

Takehiro Izumo et al. Respir Investig. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has afflicted large populations worldwide. Although vaccines aroused great expectations, their side effects on Japanese people and the antibody titer transition after vaccination are unclear.

Methods: The side effects of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in participants who received vaccination at our center were investigated. Some participants were also surveyed for the antibody titer transition.

Results: In this study, 983 and 798 Japanese participants responded to the first and second doses, respectively. Side effects occurred in 757 (77.0%) and 715 participants (90.0%) after the first and second doses, respectively. No Grade 4 side effects occurred. The second dose had significantly more side effects than the first dose (p < 0.001). Side effects occurred after the second dose in 571 female (92.1%) and 178 male participants (80.1%). Female participants had a higher incidence of side effects than the male participants (p < 0.001). A comparison among the age groups showed significant differences (p = 0.018), and the frequency of side effects decreased with age. Twenty-three individuals participated in the survey of antibody titer transition. After the second vaccine dose, the median antibody titers for IgG and IgM were 3.76 and 0.07 AU/mL, respectively. Both IgG and IgM titers showed a significant increase over the study period (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine might be safe for Japanese people, and the antibody titer increased with two doses of vaccination. Larger nationwide studies are warranted to verify these findings.

Keywords: Antibody titer; Coronavirus disease; IgG/IgM antibody; Side effect; Vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare regarding this study.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Antibody titer transition after COVID-19 vaccination (Coronavirus Modified Uridine RNA Vaccine, BNT162b2, Comirnaty). The dotted line shows the cutoff value. The cutoff IgG and IgM titers are 0.1 AU/mL and 0.2 AU/mL, respectively. A, IgG titer transition. B, IgM titer transition. Ig, Immunoglobulin; COVID-19, coronavirus disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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