Immunogenicity of Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 booster COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in long-term survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Primary mRNA vaccination against COVID-19 typically involves three doses for immunocompromised individuals, including hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients. However, optimal subsequent boosting strategies remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the immunogenicity of a booster dose using the most recently updated vaccine (Comirnaty Omicron XBB.

Risk of infections in multiple myeloma. A populationbased study on 8,672 multiple myeloma patients diagnosed 2008-2021 from the Swedish Myeloma Registry.

In multiple myeloma (MM), advancements in treatments and toxicity management have enhanced survival rates. This, coupled with shifting age demographics in MM, necessitates an updated assessment of infection risks in MM patients compared to the general population. Using Swedish population-based registries, we investigated the incidence of infections in 8,672 Swedish symptomatic MM patients diagnosed 2008-2021 and 34,561 matched controls.

Presence of MDSC associates with impaired antigen-specific T cell reactivity following COVID-19 vaccination in cirrhotic patients.

Background And Aims: Cirrhosis entails high risk of serious infections and abated efficiency of vaccination, but the underlying mechanisms are only partially understood. This study aimed at characterizing innate and adaptive immune functions, including antigen-specific T cell responses to COVID-19 vaccination, in patients with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods: Immune phenotype and function in peripheral blood from 42 cirrhotic patients and 44 age-matched healthy controls were analysed after two doses of the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines [BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech) or mRNA-1273 (Moderna)].

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Sweden: an observational cohort study.

Background: A growing evidence base supports the use of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) for treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but it has not yet been integrated into most national clinical guidelines. The objective of this study was to assess efficacy and safety when aHSCT is implemented in routine healthcare.

Methods: We assessed 231 patients and the final analysis included 174 RRMS patients who were treated with aHSCT in Sweden before 1 January 2020.

[Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura - a rare diagnosis].

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) characterized by a microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and severe thrombocytopenia, due to platelet consumption. Microthrombi form in small vessels, leading to organ ischemia, most commonly in the central nervous system (CNS). The pathophysiology of TTP is related to a deficiency of ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13), an enzyme that cleaves the von Willebrand multimer.

Catch-up antibody responses and hybrid immunity in mRNA vaccinated patients at risk of severe COVID-19.

Background: The immunogenicity of repeated vaccination and hybrid immunity in vulnerable patients remains unclear.

Methods: We studied the impact of iterative Covid-19 mRNA vaccination and hybrid immunity on antibody levels in immunosuppressed subjects. Patients with liver cirrhosis ( = 38), survivors of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) ( = 36) and patients with autoimmune liver disease ( = 14) along with healthy controls ( = 20) were monitored for SARS-CoV-2-S1 IgG after their 1st-3rd vaccine doses, 31 of whom became infected with the Omicron variant after the 2nd dose.

Long-Term Immunity Against Tetanus and Diphtheria after Vaccination of Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients.

Revaccination against tetanus and diphtheria after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is usually effective, but the duration of the immunity is unknown. We conducted this study to evaluate humoral immunity to tetanus and diphtheria in long-term survivors and to provide knowledge regarding the need for boosters. The median time from HCT to blood sampling was 14 years (range, 8 to 40 years).

[Cohort study on the experiences of cancer diagnosis and treatment in Iceland in the year 2015-2019].

Introduction: In the coming years, an increase in the number of cancer cases can be expected in Iceland. It is important to gain more insight into the experiences of the diagnostic- and treatment phase among those diagnosed with cancer to improve quality of life and life expectancy.

Methods: The study included 4575 individuals diagnosed with cancer between 2015 and 2019 in Iceland, 18 years or older at the time.

Impaired SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell reactivity in patients with cirrhosis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

Background & Aims: Cirrhosis entails elevated risk of COVID-19-associated mortality. This study determined T cell-mediated and antibody reactivity against the spike 1 (S1) protein of SARS-CoV-2 among 48 patients with cirrhosis and 39 healthy controls after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

Methods: SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell reactivity was measured by induced level of T cell-derived interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in blood cells stimulated with multimeric peptides spanning the N-terminal portion of S1.

Deficiency of SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses after vaccination in long-term allo-HSCT survivors translates into abated humoral immunity.

Recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for hematological diseases are at risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19. To determine the safety and immunogenicity of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccines, samples from 50 infection-naive allo-HSCT recipients (median, 92 months from transplantation, range, 7-340 months) and 39 healthy controls were analyzed for serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) against the receptor binding domain (RBD) within spike 1 (S1) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; anti-RBD-S1 IgG) and for SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell immunity, reflected by induction of T-cell-derived interferon-γ in whole blood stimulated ex vivo with 15-mer SI-spanning peptides with 11 amino acid overlap S1-spanning peptides. The rate of seroconversion was not significantly lower in allo-transplanted patients than in controls with 24% (12/50) and 6% (3/50) of patients remaining seronegative after the first and second vaccination, respectively.

Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) after autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Introduction: Our aim was to assess response and side effects of 4 doses of TBE vaccine to patients (pts) after allo- and autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT).

Patients: Included were 104 pts with leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma, median age 61 yrs.

Methods: Vaccine (FSME-Immun®) was given at 9, 10, 12, and 21 months post-transplant.

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation compared with alemtuzumab for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: an observational study.

Objective: To compare outcomes after treatment with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) and alemtuzumab (ALZ) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Methods: Patients treated with AHSCT (n=69) received a conditioning regimen of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) and rabbit anti-thymocyte globulinerG (6.0 mg/kg).

Humoral immunity to tetanus, diphtheria and polio in adults after treatment for hematological malignancies.

Introduction: After chemotherapy, children with acute lymphocytic leukemia lose immunity and need revaccination against tetanus and diphtheria. However, little is known about immunity in adult patients after treatment for hematological malignancies. In this study, we assessed serology levels against polio, diphtheria and tetanus in adult patients after conventional treatment for leukemia and lymphoma.

Vaccination of patients with haematological malignancies who did not have transplantations: guidelines from the 2017 European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia (ECIL 7).

Patients with haematological malignancies are at high risk of infection because of various mechanisms of humoral and cell-mediated immune deficiencies, which mainly depend on underlying disease and specific therapies. Some of these infections are vaccine preventable. However, these malignancies are different from each other, and the treatment approaches are diverse and rapidly evolving, so it is difficult to have a common programme for vaccination in a haematology ward.

Vaccination of haemopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: guidelines of the 2017 European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia (ECIL 7).

Infection is a main concern after haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and a major cause of transplant-related mortality. Some of these infections are preventable by vaccination. Most HSCT recipients lose their immunity to various pathogens as soon as the first months after transplant, irrespective of the pre-transplant donor or recipient vaccinations.