Istanbul: Obesity has been a known risk factor for Covid-19 infection. And now a study reveals that severely obese people can have a significantly weaker immune response to COVID vaccination compared to those with normal weight.Obesity is a disease that complicates the COVID-19 course, and the response of the SARS-COV-2 vaccine antibodies in adults with obesity can be compromised Vaccines against influenza, hepatitis B and rage, have also shown reduced responses in people with obesity, researchers at the University of Istanbul said in Turkey.
However, the findings presented at the European Obesity Congress (ECO) of this year that are held in the Netherlands also found that people with severe obesity (BMI of more than 40 kg/m2) vaccinated with the RNM vaccine of Pfizer generated significantly more antibodies than those vaccinated with China Coronavac Vaccine (SARS-COV-2) inactivated. The team said it suggests that the PFIZER/BIONTECH vaccine could be a better option for this vulnerable population.
For more information, the researchers investigated the antibody responses after the vaccination of PFIZER/BIONTECH and CORONAVAC in 124 adults (average age of 42-63 years) with a severe obesity between August and November 2021.They also recruited a control group of 166 adults of normal weight (BMI less than 25 kg/m2, average age of 39 to 47 years).
In general, 130 participants received two doses of PFIZER/BIONTECH and 160 participants two doses of Coronavac, of which 70 had previous SARS-COV-2 infection.In those without anterior COVID infection and vaccinated with PFIZER/BIONTECH, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels more than three times lower than normal weight controls.Similarly, in participants without prior COVID infection and vaccinated with Coronavac, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels 27 times lower than normal weight controls.
Interestingly, the analyzes found that in patients with severe obesity, with and without previous SARS-COV-2 infection, antibody levels in vaccinated with PFIZER/BIONTECH were significantly higher than those vaccinated with Coronavac.”These results provide new information on the antibody response to SARS-COV-2 vaccines in people with severe obesity and reinforce the importance of prioritizing and increasing vaccine absorption in this vulnerable group,” said Professor Volkan Demirhan Yumuk from of the university team.
“Our study confirms that immune memory induced by prior infection alters the way in which people respond to vaccination and indicates that two doses of Pfizer/Biontech vaccine can generate significantly more antibodies than Coronavac in people with serious obesity, regardless of History of infection “, Yumuk”,” added.However, he pressed the need for more research to determine whether these higher antibodies levels provide greater protection against COVID-19.