Abstract
Background
While it is presumed that immunosuppressed patients, such as solid organ transplant recipients on immunosuppression, are at greater risk from SARS-CoV-2 infection than the general population, the antibody response to infection in this patient population has not been studied.
Methods
In this report, we follow the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in patients with COVID-19 who are undergoing exogenous immunosuppression. Specifically, we studied the antibody response of three solid organ transplant recipient patients, three patients who take daily inhaled fluticasone, and a patient on etanercept and daily inhaled fluticasone, and compared them to five patients not on exogenous immunosuppression.
Results
We found that the solid organ transplant patients on full immunosuppression are at risk of having a delayed antibody response and poor outcome. We did not find evidence that inhaled steroids nor etanercept predispose patients to delayed immune response to SARS-CoV-2.
Conclusion
The data presented here suggest that solid organ transplant recipients may be good candidates for early targeted intervention against SARS-CoV-2.
SARS-CoV-2 serologic immune response in exogenously immunosuppressed patients
