The COVID-19 booster vaccine may increase immunity in patients with lymphoma, according to a study published in The Lancet. Specifically, data showed that continued administration of the booster lowered breakthrough infection rates in this population.
The study, dubbed PROSECO, enrolled 592 participants with lymphoma. Each participant received one to four doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and researchers used longitudinal peripheral blood sampling to measure antibody levels.
Blood samples were taken at a median of three weeks after two vaccine doses, five weeks after three doses, and six weeks after four doses.
Ninety-six patients experienced a breakthrough infection, with 12 being admitted to the hospital. Five of these patients required oxygen supplementation, but no participants were admitted to the intensive care unit or died from COVID-19 infection.
Among the breakthrough infections, 6% occurred after two doses, 13% after three doses, and 14% after four doses. The researchers noted that the period after two vaccine doses was during a lockdown, which could explain the lower rate of breakthrough infections. Additionally, the infections that occurred after three and four doses were during a wave of the Omicron variant.
“These data support the need to promote booster-vaccine uptake, particularly among people who are immunocompromised,” the researchers noted. “We also advocate for the standardization and commencement of routine antibody testing in people who are immunocompromised to enable precise risk delineation for individuals and focusing of efforts to protect the most vulnerable groups.”
Source: The Lancet, June 29, 2023.