Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients taking biologics achieved a positive antibody response to both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, according to research published online April 19 in Gastroenterology.

Serre-Yu Wong, M.D., from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues evaluated serological responses to both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines among 48 IBD patients (Dec. 14, 2020, through Feb. 12, 2021). Fourteen completely vaccinated health care workers without IBD and 29 vaccinated healthy volunteers without IBD served as controls. The analysis also included 21 IBD patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 to show relation to naturally generated antibodies.

The researchers found that all 26 IBD patients who completed two-dose vaccine schedules had positive anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) tests, and 84.6 percent achieved index levels that would qualify for convalescent plasma donation. Of these 26 patients, eight were receiving tumor necrosis factor antagonist monotherapy, 12 vedolizumab monotherapy, two ustekinumab, and four no medications. There was an association of lower antibody levels in patients with vedolizumab for all antibodies tested. After a single dose, two IBD patients with prior infection achieved high index values well above values achieved from natural SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared with the control populations, IBD patients had similar titres at all timepoints.

“Our results support the consensus recommendation for IBD patients to receive COVID-19 vaccines when available,” the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.