title: Antibody responses to pneumococcal and haemophilus vaccinations in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
abstract: Although vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is recommended for immunocompromised patients, such as patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL), its protective effect is questionable. We studied antibody responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Pneumovax-23) and to conjugated H. influenzae type b-vaccine (Act-Hib) in 25 patients with B-CLL. After vaccination, the number of patients with antibody levels in the protective range against pneumococcal serotypes and H. influenzae b increased from 9 (38%) to 12 (50%) of 24 patients and from 8 (35%) to 11 (48%) of 23 patients, respectively. The patients with adequate antibody response to Pneumovax-23 and Act-Hib had significantly less advanced stages of B-CLL, higher gammaglobulin levels, total IgG-levels and IgG-subclasses 2 and 4 levels, and lower levels of soluble CD23. Consequently, vaccination with these vaccines should be given as soon as the diagnosis of B-CLL is made, early in the course of the disease with determination of post-vaccination antibody levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Antonius Hospital, Koekoekslaan 1, 3435 CM, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartkamp
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Rijkers
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Velzen-Blad
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Biesma
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000032:analysis; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid