Six months follow up of hemodialysis patients after SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations: Effects of the booster dose and vaccine t

Background: As hemodialysis patients are among the vulnerable groups for severe COVID-19, proper vaccination of these patients is quite important. However vaccine responsiveness is generally reduced in hemodialysis patients and strategies should be developed to maintain protection in the long term. Objectives: This study aimed to analyse the changes in antibody levels of SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated hemodialysis patients after six months and to compare the effectiveness of inactivated and mRNA vaccines. Methods: Eighty-five hemodialysis patients were followed up for six months after their initial vaccinations for SARS-CoV-2. Persistence of humoral responses were compared between patients who got inactivated or mRNA vaccines and also between patients who received a booster dose and those who didn’t. SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers were measured by a commercial test that measures IgG antibodies toward the receptor-binding domain of spike protein. Results: Seropositivity that was achieved by initial vaccination dropped abruptly by 6 months. Patients who received a booster dose had significantly higher antibody levels than those who didn’t (1120,8 ± 983,3 AU/mL vs 313,3 ± 435,3 AU/mL respectively; p