Impact of tocilizumab therapy on antibody response to influenza vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We assessed the influence of tocilizumab (TCZ), a humanised monoclonal anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody, on antibody response following influenza vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

A total of 194 RA patients received inactive trivalent influenza vaccination (A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B/B1 strains). All patients were classified into the TCZ (n=62), TCZ+methotrexate (MTX) (n=49), MTX (n=65) and RA control (n=18) groups. Antibody titres were measured before and 4-6 weeks after vaccination using the haemagglutination inhibitory assay.

Results

For the A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 strains, the TCZ and TCZ+MTX groups achieved fold increases of 9.9-14.5, postvaccination seroprotection rates greater than 70% and seroresponse rates greater than 40%. Fo

SUBMITTER: Mori S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3595981 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature