COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Severe Asthma on Biologic Treatment: Safety, Tolerability, and Impact on Disease Control

• Published in: Vaccines (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 8; p. 853
• Main Authors: Caminati, Marco, Guarnieri, Gabriella, Batani, Veronica, Scarpieri, Elena, Finocchiaro, Anita, Chieco-Bianchi, Fulvia, Senna, Gianenrico, Vianello, Andrea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 04.08.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Adverse events; Allergies; Asthma; Biological products; Biological treatment; biologics; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; Disease control; Drug dosages; Immunization; Monoclonal antibodies; mRNA; Patients; Pfizer mRNA SARS-CoV-2/COVID 19 vaccine; Population; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Safety; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; severe asthma; Side effects; Steroids; tolerability; Vaccination
• ISSN: 2076-393X; 2076-393X
• DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9080853

Background: COVID-19 vaccination has been recommended for severe asthmatics. We aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and impact on disease control and patient’s quality of life of the mRNA SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccine in severe asthma patients regarding biologic treatment. Methods: Severe asthmatic patients regularly managed by two big allergy and respiratory referral centers were offered to undergo Pfizer COVID 19 vaccination at the hospital site. Patients filled in an adverse events questionnaire after the first and second dose, as well as the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). Results: Overall, 253 patients were vaccinated; only 16 patients refused. No serious events were detected. Less than 20% of patients reported side effects, most of which were classified as very common side effects. No differences were reported according to the ongoing biologic drug. A significant improvement in both ACT and AQLQ was observed between the first and the second dose administration. Conclusions: Our data confirm the optimal safety and tolerability profile of mRNA SARS- CoV-2/COVID-19 in severe asthma patients on biologic treatment, as well as their positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination. The negligible proportion of patients reporting side effects and the absence of asthma exacerbations are relevant to support the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in severe asthma patients worldwide.