It is unclear whether corona vaccinations work as well in kidney patients as in healthy people
The scientific research RECOVAC will be expanded with a large-scale antibody study. With the results of the study, the corona vaccination of patients with severely reduced kidney function, on dialysis or with a donor kidney may be adapted in the future for better protection against COVID-19.
It is unclear whether corona vaccinations work as well in kidney patients as in healthy people. Vaccine developers have hardly included patients with severely reduced kidney function, on dialysis or with a donor kidney in their studies. To close this knowledge gap, ZonMw awarded 3.2 million euros in subsidy to the collaboration project at the beginning of this year RECOVAC. On the one hand, this will investigate in a small-scale study how the immune system of kidney patients responds to vaccination against corona; and on the other hand in a large-scale study to make an inventory of the side effects of vaccines and their long-term efficacy.
Missing link
“But there was a missing link between these two studies,” says Prof. Ron Gansevoort, nephrologist at UMC Groningen and involved in the research. “We also want to analyze whether there is a relationship between the amount of antibodies that people produce and the chance that they will still get COVID-19 despite vaccination. In general, the more antibodies a person produces, the better protected against the infection. But it is not yet known whether this is a valid assumption and how many antibodies someone must have at least to be protected. This requires that we measure antibodies in a large group of patients. “
Historical initiative
Thanks to a large donation to the Kidney Foundation and the UMC Groningen, this research will now take place. Previously, several patients had reported to the Kidney Foundation, the Kidney Patient Association Netherlands (NVN) and the UMC Groningen with an urgent request to start such a study, so to measure how much resistance they build up after vaccination in individual patients. After all, it is very important for them to know what their own defenses are against this virus. Tom Oostrom (director of the Kidney Foundation): “This very generous donation makes it possible for this relevant research to be carried out. It is very special that we can help a large group of very vulnerable patients with this. ” Gansevoort: “It is a historic initiative in which all UMCs and many parties are involved. Nowhere in the world is the immune response of so many kidney patients individually measured.” The results of the study are also in the interest of the large group of kidney patients worldwide.
Measuring antibodies in 12,000 kidney patients
The RECOVAC antibody study will be conducted in approximately 12,000 people with severely reduced kidney function (less than 30%), people on dialysis and people who have been transplanted (4,000 patients from each of these three groups). They measure how many antibodies they make after vaccination. The researchers then determine which kidney patients still receive COVID-19 despite a vaccination. And then they analyze whether the amount of antibodies is related to the chance of getting COVID-19 (after vaccination).
Gansevoort: “If that relationship exists, then we can then investigate how we could improve the immune response. For example, by offering patients with insufficient antibodies after a normal vaccination a third vaccination, with or without a higher dose, whether or not. not with any other vaccine. “
The research is important for a large group of people. Namely all people with severely reduced kidney function, people on dialysis and people with a donor kidney. Because the results are made public, patients in the Netherlands and abroad will ultimately be able to benefit from this research.
RECOVAC
RECOVAC is a unique, large partnership. All UMCs in the Netherlands, the Kidney Foundation, the NVN, researchers from general nephrology, dialysis and transplantation are involved, as are the patient groups involved. In addition, there is collaboration with the Santeon hospitals, the LAREB (National registration for evaluation of adverse reactions), RIVM and Sanquin (which will carry out the antibody determination). Patients will soon be approached to participate in the study. This is done via e-mail and letters sent via hospitals and dialysis centers. It is not possible for individual patients to register.
Webinars on corona vaccination for kidney patients
A start has now been made on vaccinating groups of people with vulnerable health. And also the first results of research into the efficacy and possibly. side effects of the vaccines. This also raises new questions and that is why we are again organizing webinars for healthcare professionals and patients. The Kidney Foundation, the Dutch Kidney Patient Association, Nieren.nl, NFN and the RECOVAC consortium are organizing two webinars about vaccination.
On Monday 3 May 2021 for healthcare professionals at 5 p.m. and on Thursday 6 May for patients and loved ones at 7:30 p.m. Both webinars last approximately 75 minutes. You can register via the website of the NVN.
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