Severe COVID pneumonia and undetectable B cells after vaccination in patients previously treated with rituximab: a case series

References

• World Health Organization. WHO coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard; 2021 [cited 2021 Jul 18]. Available from: https://covid19.who.int
   Google Scholar
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID data tracker: COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States. [ cited 2021 july 18]. Available from: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations
   Google Scholar
• Harpaz R, Dahl RM, Dooling KL. Prevalence of immunosuppression among US adults, 2013. JAMA. 2016;316:2547–2548.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Maloney DG, Liles TM, Czerwinski DK, et al. Phase I clinical trial using escalating single-dose infusion of chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (IDEC-C2B8) in patients with recurrent B-cell lymphoma. Blood. 1994;84:2457–2466.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Cerny T, Borisch B, Introna M, et al. Mechanism of action of rituximab. Anticancer Drugs. 2002;13:S3–S10.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bergantini L, d’Alessandro M, Cameli P, et al. Effects of rituximab therapy on B cell differentiation and depletion. Clin Rheumatol. 2020;39:1415–1421.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Trouvin AP, Jacquot S, Grigioni S, et al. Usefulness of monitoring of B cell depletion in rituximab-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients in order to predict clinical relapse: a prospective observational study. Clin Exp Immunol. 2015;180:11–18.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Plosker GL, Figgitt DP. Rituximab: a review of its use in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Drugs. 2003;63(8):803–843.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Nazi I, Kelton JG, Larché M, et al. The effect of rituximab on vaccine responses in patients with immune thrombocytopenia. Blood. 2013;122(11):1946–1953.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Oren S, Mandelboim M, Braun-Moscovici Y, et al. Vaccination against influenza in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of rituximab on the humoral response. Ann Rheum Dis. 2008;67(7):937–941.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Van Assen S, Holvast A, Benne CA, et al. Humoral responses after influenza vaccination are severely reduced in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with rituximab. Arthritis Rheum. 2010;62:75–81.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Crnkic Kapetanovic M, Saxne T, Jonsson G, et al. Rituximab and Abatacept but not tocilizumab impair antibody response to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2013;15(5):R171.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bonelli MM, Mrak D, Perkmann T, et al. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in rituximab-treated patients: evidence for impaired humoral but inducible cellular immune response. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021;80:1355–1356.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Moor MB, Suter-Riniker F, Horn MP, et al. Humoral and cellular responses to mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with a history of CD20 B-cell-depleting therapy (RituxiVac): an investigator-initiated, single-centre, open-label study. Lancet Rheumatol. 2021 Sep 7;3:e789–e797.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Cattaneo C, Cancelli V, Imberti L, et al. Production and persistence of specific antibodies in COVID-19 patients with hematologic malignancies: role of rituximab. Blood Cancer J. 2021 Sep 14;11(9). DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41408-021-00546-9.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Curtis JR, Johnson SR, Anthony DD, et al. American College of Rheumatology Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients With Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: version 2. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021Santosa A, Xu C, Arkachaisri T, Kong KO, Lateef A, Lee TH, Leong KH, Low AHL, Sriranganathan MK, Tan TC, Teng GG, Thong BY, Fong W, Lahiri M. Recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination in people with rheumatic disease: developed by the Singapore Chapter of Rheumatologists. Int J Rheum Dis. 2021 Jun;24(6):746–757.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Arnold J, Winthrop K, Emery P. COVID-19 vaccination and antirheumatic therapy. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60:3496–3502.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Soy M, Keser G, and Atagunduz P, et al. A practical approach for vaccinations including COVID-19 in autoimmune/autoinflammatory rheumatic diseases: a non-systematic review. Clin Rheumatol. 2021;40(9):3533–3545 doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-021-05700-z.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bruchfeld A, Kronbichler A, Alberici F, et al. COVID-19 and ANCA-associated vasculitis - recommendations for vaccine preparedness and the use of rituximab. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2021;36:1758–1760.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Speeckaert R, Lambert J, Puig L, et al. Vaccinations in patients receiving systemic drugs for skin disorders: what can we learn for SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies?. Drugs R D. 2021 Jun 9;21:1–10.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Inoue S, Shibata Y, Takabatake N, et al. Influence of corticosteroid therapy on the serum antibody response to influenza vaccine in elderly patients with chronic pulmonary diseases. EXCLI J. 2013;12:760–765.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• de Roux A, Marx A, Burkhardt O, et al. Impact of corticosteroids on the immune response to a MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccine in elderly COPD-patients. Vaccine. 2006;24:1537–1542.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• The RECOVERY Collaborative Group. Dexamethasone in hospitalized patients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:693–704.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Dequin PF, Heming N, Meziani F, et al. Effect of hydrocortisone on 21-day mortality or respiratory support among critically ill patients with COVID-19: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2020;324:1298–1306.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Tomazini BM, Maia IS, Cavalcanti AB, et al. Effect of dexamethasone on days alive and ventilator-free in patients with moderate or severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and COVID-19: the CoDEX randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2020;324:1307–1316.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Angus DC, Derde L, Al-Beidh F, et al. Effect of hydrocortisone on mortality and organ support in patients with severe COVID-19: the REMAP-CAP COVID-19 corticosteroid domain randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2020;324:1317–1329.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar