Humoral immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases under treatment with Rituximab: a case-control study (COVID-19VacRTX).

Objectives: Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) treated with the anti-CD20 mAb rituximab (RTX) have been identified as high-risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Additionally, there is increased risk due to reduced humoral immune response, induced by therapeutic B cell depletion. This study sought to quantify humoral response after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with IRD treated with RTX.