Immunogenicity and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in people living with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: International journal of infectious diseases Vol. 124; pp. 212 - 223
• Main Authors: Yin, Juntao, Chen, Yangyang, Li, Yang, Wang, Chaoyang, Zhang, Xingwang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2022; The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antibodies, Viral; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines; HIV; HIV Infections; Humans; Immunogenicity; Meta-analysis; SARS-CoV-2; Seroconversion; Vaccination; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; HIV; Immunogenicity; Vaccination; Meta-analysis
• ISSN: 1201-9712; 1878-3511; 1878-3511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.10.005

•COVID-19 vaccines show favorable immunogenicity and efficacy in people living with HIV (PLWH).•A second dose is associated with consistently improved seroconversion in PLWH.•Other strategies might improve seroprotection for PLWH.•Trusted information on COVID-19 vaccines should be provided. Available data show that COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective in people living with HIV (PLWH) who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the immunogenicity and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in PLWH with healthy individuals. Pubmed/Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Risk ratios of seroconversion were separately pooled using random-effects meta-analysis, and a systematic review without meta-analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antibody titer levels was performed after the first and second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 22 studies with 6522 subjects met the inclusion criteria. After the first vaccine dose, seroconversion in PLWH was comparable to that in healthy individuals. After a second dose, seroconversion was slightly lower in PLWH compared with healthy controls, and antibody titers did not seem to be significantly affected or reduced among participants of both groups. COVID-19 vaccines show favorable immunogenicity and efficacy in PLWH. A second dose is associated with consistently improved seroconversion, although it is slightly lower in PLWH than in healthy individuals. Additional strategies, such as a booster vaccination with messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccines, might improve seroprotection for these patients.