The Effect of Rituximab on the Humoral Response to Influenza Vaccine

April 25, 2007 updated by: Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

Vaccination Against Influenza in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: The Effect of Rituximab on the Humoral Response

Rituximab is a genetically engineered chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that selectively targets CD20+ B cells and induces a transient depletion of the CD20+ mature B cell subpopulation.The objective of our study was to assess the effect of rituximab on the efficacy and safety of influenza virus vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The study population comprised RA patients treated with conventional disease modifying drugs with or without rituximab. Split-virion inactivated vaccine containing 15 mcg hemagglutinin/dose of B/Shanghai/361/02 (SHAN), A/New Caledonia A/New Caledonia/ 20/99 (NC) (H1N1) and A/California/7/04 (CAL) (H3N2) was used. Disease activity was assessed by number of tender and swollen joints, morning stiffness duration, and evaluation of pain on the day of vaccination and 4 weeks later. CD20 positive cell levels were assessed in rituximab treated patients. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies were tested and response was defined as >4-fold rise 4 weeks post vaccination or seroconversion in patients with a non-protective baseline level of antibodies (<1/40). Geometric mean titers (GMT) were calculated in all subjects.

Results: The participants were divided into 3 groups: RA (n=29, aged 64±12 years), rituximab-treated RA (n=14, aged 53±15 years) and healthy controls (n=21, aged 58±15 years). All baseline protective levels of HI antibodies and GMT were similar. Four weeks after vaccination, there was a significant increase in GMT for NC and California antigens in all subjects, but not for the Shanghai antigen in the rituximab group. Similarly, the percentage of responders was low for Shanghai and NC, but significantly lowers in rituximab treated patients for the California antigen compared with the other groups. Parameters of disease activity remained unchanged.

Conclusion: Influenza virus vaccine generated a humoral response in all RA study patients and controls. Although the response was significantly lower among rituximab-treated patients,

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

64

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Age-18-85
  • Treatment with Rituximab and other Disease modifying drugs

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Treatment with anti TNF alpha
  • Allergy to eggs

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Efficacy of vaccination against influenza

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Safety of vaccination against influenza in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ori Elkayam, M.D, Tel Aviv Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

September 1, 2005

Study Completion

February 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 24, 2007

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 25, 2007

First Posted (Estimate)

April 27, 2007

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 27, 2007

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 25, 2007

Last Verified

April 1, 2007

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • TASMC-05-OE-204-CTIL

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Subscribe