Anti-SARS CoV-2 IgG in COVID-19 Patients with Hematological Diseases: A Single-center, Retrospective Study in Japan

• Published in: Internal Medicine Vol. 61; no. 11; pp. 1681 - 1686
• Main Authors: Fujii, Takayuki, Hagihara, Masao, Mitamura, Keiko, Nakashima, Shiori, Ohara, Shin, Uchida, Tomoyuki, Inoue, Morihiro, Okuda, Moe, Yasuhara, Atsuhiro, Murakami, Jurika, Duong, Calvin, Iwatsuki-Horimoto, Kiyoko, Yamayoshi, Seiya, Kawaoka, Yoshihiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine 01.06.2022; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies, Viral; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Hematologic Diseases - complications; Hematologic Diseases - epidemiology; Hematological diseases; Hematology; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Internal medicine; Japan - epidemiology; Original; Retrospective Studies; Risk groups; Rituximab; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spike protein; Japan; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies; SARS-CoV-2
• ISSN: 0918-2918; 1349-7235; 1349-7235
• DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.9209-21

Objective Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread globally. Although the relationship between anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and COVID-19 severity has been reported, information is lacking regarding the seropositivity of patients with particular types of diseases, including hematological diseases. Methods In this single-center, retrospective study, we compared SARS-CoV-2 IgG positivity between patients with hematological diseases and those with non-hematological diseases. Results In total, 77 adult COVID-19 patients were enrolled. Of these, 30 had hematological disorders, and 47 had non-hematological disorders. The IgG antibody against the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein was detected less frequently in patients with hematological diseases (60.0%) than in those with non-hematological diseases (91.5%; p=0.029). Rituximab use was significantly associated with seronegativity (p=0.010). Conclusion Patients with hematological diseases are less likely to develop anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies than those with non-hematological diseases, which may explain the poor outcomes of COVID-19 patients in this high-risk group.