RESEARCH - Immune responses following administration of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines to patients with RA receiving Humira

November 2, 2008

J Rheumatol. 2007 Feb;34(2):272-9.

Immune responses following administration of influenza and

pneumococcal vaccines to patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving

adalimumab.

Kaine JL, Kivitz AJ, Birbara C, Luo AY.

Sarasota Arthritis Research Center, Sarasota, Florida 34239, USA.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the immunogenicity of influenza and

pneumococcal vaccines in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

receiving adalimumab or placebo.

METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized, multicenter study, patients

received adalimumab or placebo on Days 1, 15, and 29. Pneumococcal and

influenza vaccines were administered on Day 8 (vaccine baseline).

Vaccine response (> or = 2-fold titer increase from baseline in > or =

3 of 5 pneumococcal antigens and > or = 4-fold titer increase from

baseline in > or = 2 of 3 influenza antigens) and protective antibody

titers (> or = 1.6 microg/ml pneumococcal antibody concentration to >

or = 3 of 5 antigens and > or = 1:40 influenza antibody titer to > or

= 2 of 3 antigens) were analyzed 4 weeks' postvaccination.

RESULTS: Following pneumococcal vaccination, percentages of patients

achieving a vaccine response were similar in the adalimumab and

placebo groups [37.4% and 40.4%, respectively; 95% CI (confidence

interval) -16.2%, 10.3%]. Percentages of patients with protective

antibody titers were similar in both treatment groups (adalimumab:

85.9%, placebo: 81.7%). Following influenza vaccination, percentages

of patients achieving a vaccine response were lower with adalimumab

than placebo (51.5% and 63.3%, respectively; 95% CI -25.2%, 1.6%)--a

result explained by the subgroup of patients with preexisting

protective antibody titers at baseline. For patients without

protective antibody titers at baseline, response rates were similar in

the 2 groups (adalimumab: 73.3%, placebo: 73.9%). Percentages of

patients with protective antibody titers were similar in both

treatment groups (adalimumab: 98%, placebo: 94.5%).

CONCLUSION: Patients with RA treated with adalimumab can be

effectively and safely immunized with pneumococcal and influenza

vaccines.

PMID: 17304653

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17304653

Not an MD

November 2, 2008

and group;

Now this one I understood.

Yes we can get the flue shot if our doctor says so. There could be extenuating

circumstances.

My words Not an MD

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this is from the bottom

.. CONCLUSION: Patients with RA treated with adalimumab can be effectively and

safely immunized with pneumococcal and influenza vaccines.

Thanks

gentle hugs

Clora May

From: <Rheumatoid.Arthritis.Support@...>

Subject: [ ] RESEARCH - Immune responses following administration of

influenza and pneumococcal vaccines to patients with RA receiving Humira

" " < >

Date: Sunday, November 2, 2008, 12:24 PM

J Rheumatol. 2007 Feb;34(2):272- 9.