Hemodialysis Patients Make Long-Lived Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 that May Be Associated with Reduced Reinfection

J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021 Sep;32(9):2140-2142. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2021020188. Epub 2021 Aug 2.

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections have a devastating effect on patients receiving hemodialysis. To what extent infection-induced antibody responses are maintained, or protective, is unknown. This study describes the evolution of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a cohort of 990 patients on hemodialysis. During the first wave of the pandemic, 26% of patients had developed antispike SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Fewer PCR-confirmed second-wave infections were observed in patients with pre-existing antibodies (4.2%) than those without antibodies (11.4%). This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients on hemodialysis are well maintained and associate with reduced risk of subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; antibody; hemodialysis.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / biosynthesis*
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / immunology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Comorbidity
  • England / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics*
  • Reinfection / epidemiology
  • Reinfection / immunology
  • Reinfection / prevention & control
  • Renal Dialysis*
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2