COVID-19 booster vaccination and dialysis patients

If you do not work in renal medicine you may not have realized that dialysis patients given the COVID-19 vaccine, demonstrate significantly lower antibody response compared to healthy controls. National strategies for Booster COVID-19 vaccines range from targeting vulnerable patient populations, to broadening out to healthcare workers or as in Israel, targeting the whole adult population. We welcome the Commentary piece by Dr Yen and colleagues from Chang Gung University in Taiwan who highlight the importance of dialysis patients receiving the booster vaccine. They summarize our current knowledge and draw our attention to predictive factors in these patients for sub-optimal and optimal antibody response, which includes lower serum albumin and higher intravenous iron dose as negative predictors whereas younger age, serum albumin>3.5  g/dl, lower intravenous iron dose and body mass index<30  kg/m2 were positive predictors for an optimal antibody response.
Source: QJM - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research