Antibody Response to Covishield and Covaxin in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on solid organ transplant recipients. COVID-19 vaccination plays a crucial role in pandemic management.There is limited data on replication-defective viral vectors [ChAdOx1-nCOV (COVISHIELD^TM)] and whole inactivated one BBV-152 (COVAXIN^TM) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). This study aims to assess the humoral immune response and adverse effects of these vaccines in KTRs after the first and second doses of vaccination.

Materials and methods: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike antibody titers were measured in 285 KTRs recipients prior to vaccination, 3 weeks ± 3 days after first dose and 3 weeks ± 3 days after second dose of the COVISHIELD (n = 232) and COVAXIN (n = 55) vaccines. Anti-spike antibodies were measured by the chemiluminescence immunoassay method. The primary outcome was seroconversion after two doses of COVAXIN and COVISHIELD and secondary outcome was the incidence of adverse events to COVID-19 vaccines within one week of vaccination.

Results: At baseline, 25 (39.7%) and 67 (30.2%) of KTRs were found to be seropositive before receiving COVAXIN^TM and COVISHIELD^TM, respectively. After first dose of vaccination, 46 (73.0%) and 158 (71.2%) were seropositive and after second dose, 51 (81.0%) and 177 (79.7%) were seropositive, respectively. Common adverse effects were fever, chills, myalgia, and headache which settled in 1-2 days. There was no episode of rejection.

Conclusion: Both ChAdOx1-nCOV and BBV-152 were well tolerated and induced robust antibody formation in KTRs in the Indian population.

Keywords: COVAXIN; COVID vaccine; COVISHIELD; Humoral response; India; Kidney transplant; Seropositivity.

Figure 1:

Total seropositivity and vaccination.