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Journal Article Ppublish 61 citations

PubMed: 35339673 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2022.03.016

Post-COVID-19 syndrome and humoral response association after 1 year in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients.

Clin Microbiol Infect 28(8):1140-1148

Authors: Maddalena Peghin, Maria De Martino, Alvisa Palese, Valentina Gerussi, Giulia Bontempo, Elena Graziano, Erica Visintini, Denise D'Elia, Fabiana Dellai, Francesco Marrella, Martina Fabris, Francesco Curcio, Assunta Sartor, Miriam Isola, Carlo Tascini

Affiliations

  • Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, Udine, Italy; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria-ASST-Sette Laghi, Varese, Italy.
  • Division of Medical Statistics, Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
  • School of Nursing, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
  • Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, Udine, Italy.
  • Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, Udine, Italy; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria-ASST-Sette Laghi, Varese, Italy.
  • Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale and University of Udine, Department of Medicine, Udine, Italy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to describe the impact of vaccination and the role of humoral responses on post-COVID-19 syndrome 1 year after the onset of SARS coronavirus type 2 (CoV-2).

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted through interviews to investigate post-COVID-19 syndrome 6 and 12 months after disease onset in all adult in- and outpatients with COVID-19 at Udine Hospital (March-May 2020). Vaccination status and two different serological assays to distinguish between response to vaccination (receptor-binding domain (RBD) SARS-CoV-2 IgG) and/or natural infection (non-RBD-SARS-CoV-2 IgG) were also assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 479 patients (52.6% female; mean age: 53 years) were interviewed 13.5 months (standard deviation: 0.6 months) after acute infection. Post-COVID-19 syndrome was observed in 47.2% of patients (n = 226) after 1 year. There were no significant differences in the worsening of post-COVID-19 symptoms (22.7% vs. 15.8%; p = 0.209) among vaccinated (n = 132) and unvaccinated (n = 347) patients. The presence of non-RBD SARS-CoV-2 IgG induced by natural infection showed a significant association with post-COVID-19 syndrome (OR: 1.35; 95% CI, 1.11-1.64; p = 0.003), and median non-RBD SARS-CoV-2 IgG titres were significantly higher in long haulers than in patients without symptoms (22 kAU/L (interquartile range, 9.7-37.2 kAU/L) vs. 14.1 kAU/L (interquartile range, 5.4-31.3 kAU/L); p = 0.009) after 1 year. In contrast, the presence of RBD SARS-CoV-2 IgG was not associated with the occurrence of post-COVID-19 syndrome (>2500 U/mL vs. 0.9-2500 U/mL; OR: 1.36; 95% CI, 0.62-3.00; p = 0.441), and RBD SARS-CoV-2 IgG titres were similar in long haulers as in patients without symptoms (50% values > 2500 U/mL vs. 55.6% values > 2500 U/mL; p = 0.451).

DISCUSSION

The SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is not associated with the emergence of post-COVID-19 symptoms more than 1 year after acute infection. The persistence of high serological titre response induced by natural infection, but not vaccination, may play a role in long-haul COVID-19.

MeSH

Vaccines, Microbiology, Vaccination, Signs And Symptoms, Covid-19, Parasitic Diseases, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus, Communicable Diseases, Infections, Post-Acute Covid-19 Syndrome

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