Lower response to BNT162b2 vaccine in patients with myelofibrosis compared to polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia

J Hematol Oncol. 2021 Jul 29;14(1):119. doi: 10.1186/s13045-021-01130-1.

Abstract

In a population of 42 Philadelphia negative myeloproliferative neoplasm patients, all on systemic active treatment, the likelihood of responding to anti-SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 vaccine at 2 weeks after the second dose was significantly lower in the ten patients with myelofibrosis compared to the 32 with essential thrombocythemia (n = 17) and polycythemia vera (n = 15) grouped together, both in terms of neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers and seroprotection rates (32.47 AU/mL vs 217.97 AU/mL, p = 0.003 and 60% vs 93.8%, p = 0.021, respectively). Ruxolitinib, which was the ongoing treatment in five patients with myelofibrosis and three with polycythemia vera, may be implicated in reducing vaccine immunogenicity (p = 0.076), though large prospective study is needed to address this issue.

Keywords: COVID-19; Ph negative myeloproliferative neoplasms; mRNA vaccine.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • COVID-19 / complications
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Polycythemia Vera / immunology*
  • Polycythemia Vera / pathology
  • Polycythemia Vera / virology
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / immunology*
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / pathology
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / virology
  • Prognosis
  • SARS-CoV-2 / drug effects*
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential / immunology*
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential / pathology
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential / virology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • BNT162 Vaccine