Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) who are fully vaccinated with a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine have a lower risk for infection with the virus, real-world evidence suggests.
The finding is from a retrospective observational cohort study that included 2101 KTRs in the Czech Republic, of whom 1509 were fully vaccinated (2 doses) and 346 were unvaccinated. The incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as determined by a positive polymerase chain reaction test, was 0.474 per 1000 person-days (33 cases in 69,672 days at risk) in the vaccinated group compared with 1.370 per 1000 person-days (79 cases in 57,658 days at risk) in the unvaccinated group, Ivan Zahradka, MD, of the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic, and colleagues reported in Annals of Internal Medicine.
“In conclusion, the association between 2 doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and lowered risk for infection shown in our study provides much needed real-world evidence,” the authors wrote. “However, despite the effectiveness in KTRs, there were still breakthrough infections, and indirect comparisons suggest lower effectiveness compared with the general population.”
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Their clinical report, they added, supports current recommendations for additional booster doses based on laboratory immune-monitoring studies. “Kidney transplant recipients should continue to be prioritized for booster doses in vaccination programs.”
Reference
Zahradka I, Petr V, Modos I, et al. Association between SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA vaccines and lower infection rates in kidney transplant recipients. Ann Intern Med. Published online May 3, 2022. doi:10.7326/M21-2973
