Key clinical point: An ultralow dose (200 mg) of rituximab infusion and an increased time interval between COVID-19 vaccination and rituximab infusion significantly improved humoral response to COVID-19 vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Major finding: Positive vaccination response was more frequently observed in the 200 mg vs. 1000 mg rituximab infusion group (odds ratio [OR] 3.07; P = .03) and improved with greater time interval between rituximab infusion and COVID-19 vaccination (per month OR 1.67; P < .0001).
Study details: This was a prospective cohort study, RTX-COVAC, including 196 patients with RA who received at least one dose of rituximab (200, 500, or 1000 mg) in the year prior to their first dose of COVID-19 vaccination.
Disclosures: This study did not receive any specific funding. AA den Broeder reported receiving personal fees, congress invitations, and grants outside the submitted work from various sources. Other authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: van der Togt CJT et al. Humoral response to Coronavirus Disease-19 vaccines is dependent on dosage and timing of rituximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022 (Apr 4). Doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac206