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Comment
. 2023 Dec;82(3):536-541.
doi: 10.1007/s12020-023-03481-w. Epub 2023 Aug 17.

Lack of vitamin D predicts impaired long-term immune response to COVID-19 vaccination

Luigi di Filippo  1 , Stefano Frara  1 , Umberto Terenzi  1 , Fabrizio Nannipieri  2 , Massimo Locatelli  3 , Fabio Ciceri  4 , Andrea Giustina  5
Affiliations
Comment

Lack of vitamin D predicts impaired long-term immune response to COVID-19 vaccination

Luigi di Filippo et al. Endocrine. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: Low vitamin D levels were reported to negatively influence the outcome of acute COVID-19, as well as to be linked to Long-COVID. However, few studies have investigated, so far, its effects on humoral-response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, reporting conflicting results. We aimed to evaluate the impact of baseline 25(OH)vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels on humoral-response to a two-dose cycle of Pfizer-BioNTech-vaccine up to 9-10 months after immunization.

Methods: We retrospectively included 119 consecutive healthcare-workers (median age 53 years) without a previous history of acute COVID-19 or anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins presence immunized with two doses of Comirnaty-vaccine from January to February 2021. 25(OH)D was measured at time of first-immunization. Immune response was evaluated at: time 0 (T0), before the first-dose; T1, time of second-dose (21 days after T0); T2, T3, T4 at 1, 5 and 9 months after T1, respectively.

Results: Median 25(OH)D levels were 25.6 ng/mL, and vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <20 ng/mL) was observed in 29 subjects (24.8%). In those with vitamin D deficiency, we found a non-significant trend towards lower antibody-titers at T3, and significantly lower titers at T4 as compared to those not vitamin D-deficient, also observing a more pronounced antibody-titers negative drop from peak-T2 and T4 in those with vitamin D deficiency. A positive correlation between 25(OH)D levels and antibody-titers at T4 (p = 0.043) was found. In multiple linear-regression analysis, 25(OH)D deficiency and older-age resulted as negative independent factors associated with antibody titer at T4 (p = 0.026, p = 0.004; respectively).

Conclusion: In our relatively young cohort presenting low prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, the long-term humoral response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was negatively influenced by low baseline 25(OH)D. Vitamin D supplementation could be tested as a strategy to optimize the vaccination campaigns to prevent severe COVID-19.

Keywords: Anti-COVID-19 vaccine; Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine; COVID-19; Hypovitaminosis D; SARS-CoV-2; Vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

Andrea Giustina is consultant for Abiogen Pharma S.p.A. and Takeda and received research grant to Institution from Takeda. Stefano Frara received research grants to Institution from Abiogen Pharma S.p.A. Fabrizio Nannipieri is an employee of Abiogen Pharma S.p.A. All other authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study design and retrospective enrollment flow chart
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
a Anti-RBD-S-IgTot titers negative drop (-∆) from T2 peak and T3, and T4, in subjects with vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and those without (non-VDD). b Linear correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D levels and anti-RBD-S IgTot titer at 9–10 months after vaccination (T4)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

References

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