title: Immune response to an adjuvanted influenza A H1N1 vaccine (Pandemrix(®)) in renal transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the course of the influenza A H1N1 pandemic, transplanted patients were recommended to receive vaccination. In the present study, we evaluated the immune response to an adjuvanted influenza A H1N1 vaccine (Pandemrix®) in renal allograft recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients and 22 healthy controls participated in a prospective observational study and received a single dose of Pandemrix®. H1N1 antibody titres as well as anti-HLA antibodies were determined before and after vaccination. In 19 patients, a booster vaccination was performed and the outcome of all vaccinated renal allograft recipients (n = 107) in our clinic was reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two out of sixty patients had an elevated influenza A H1N1 titre before vaccination. Of the remaining 58 patients, only 20/58 (34.5%) developed a protective immune response in contrast to 20/22 (91%) of the control group. After booster vaccination, a protective titre was present in 8/19 (42%) of patients. Of the 107 patients, 6 (5.6%) developed new donor-specific HLA antibodies after vaccination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that Pandemrix® does not provide a protective immune response in the majority of kidney transplant recipients. Therefore, for new vaccines, efficacy as well as safety profiles should be evaluated in this subgroup of patients.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Charite Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany. susanne.brakemeier@charite.de
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Brakemeier
authors: Brunhilde
authors: B
authors: Schweiger
authors: Nils
authors: N
authors: Lachmann
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Glander
authors: Constanze
authors: C
authors: Schönemann
authors: Fritz
authors: F
authors: Diekmann
authors: Hans-Hellmut
authors: HH
authors: Neumayer
authors: Klemens
authors: K
authors: Budde