SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG titres up to 137 days following Comirnaty mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, Israel, February to May 2021.

Abstract

BackgroundData regarding the long-term protection afforded by vaccination for the SARS-CoV-2 infection are essential for allocation of scarce vaccination resources worldwide.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study aimed at studying the kinetics of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19-naïve patients fully vaccinated with two doses of Comirnaty mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of antibody levels were reported. Linear models were used to assess antibody levels after full vaccination and their decline over time.ResultsThe study included 4,740 patients and 5,719 serological tests. Unadjusted GMCs peaked 28-41 days after the first dose at 10,174 AU/mL (95% CI: 9,211-11,237) and gradually decreased but remained well above the positivity cut-off. After adjusting for baseline characteristics and repeated measurements, the antibodies half-life time was 34.1 days (95% CI: 33.1-35.2), and females aged 16-39 years with no comorbidities had antibody levels of 20,613 AU/mL (95% CI: 18,526-22,934) on day 28 post-first-dose. Antibody levels were lower among males (0.736 of the level measured in females; 95% CI: 0.672-0.806), people aged 40-59 (0.729; 95% CI: 0.649-0.818) and ≥ 60 years (0.452; 95% CI: 0.398-0.513), and patients having haematological (0.241; 95% CI: 0.190-0.306) or solid malignancies (0.757; 95% CI: 0.650-0.881), chronic kidney disease with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 30 (0.434; 95% CI: 0.354-0.532) or with GFR < 30 mL/min (0.176; 95% CI: 0.109-0.287), and immunosuppression (0.273; 95% CI: 0.235-0.317). Body mass index, cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and inflammatory bowel diseases were not associated with antibody levels.ConclusionsVaccination with two doses resulted in persistently high levels of antibodies (≥ cut-off of 50 AU/mL) up to 137 days post-first-dose. Risk factors for lower antibody levels were identified.