title: Antibody responses of splenectomized patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to immunization with polyvalent pneumococcal vaccines.
abstract: The serum antibody responses of splenectomized patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who had been immunized with a polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax 23) were evaluated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine as the antigen. A response to immunization, defined as a twofold-or-higher rise of the prevaccination titer of antibodies against Streptococcus pneumoniae polysaccharide, was elicited in 5 of 11 patients with NHL. No significant difference in the level of antibodies against S. pneumoniae polysaccharide between lymphoma patients and patients who had undergone splenectomy for other reasons was detected (P = 0.83 and 0.87 before and after vaccination, respectively). NHL patients who did not respond to the first immunization received a booster dose of the polysaccharide vaccine. This injection did not increase the pneumococcal-antibody titer significantly (P = 0.7). We conclude that vaccination with pneumococcal polysaccharides in splenectomized patients with NHL elicits an adequate antibody response in 45.4% of the cases and should therefore be administered. Revaccination of the nonresponders does not further increase the pneumococcal-antibody levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Bochum, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petrasch
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kühnemund
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reinacher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uppenkamp
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reinert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schmiegel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lütticken
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brittinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines