The effect of a single dose of BNT162b2 vaccine on the incidence of severe COVID-19 infection in patients on chronic hemodialysis: a single-centre study

INTRODUCTION: In this single-centre retrospective observational study, the 8-week safety and the efficiency of a single dose of BNT162b2 vaccine was studied in 83 HD patients. METHODS: All clinically stable adult ESRD patients on chronic HD for at least 4 weeks were screened for participation in the study. Exclusion criteria for enrollment in the study included a medical history of COVID-19 infection within the last 12 weeks or delivery of both vaccine doses less than 8 weeks apart from each other. The same patients during the 8-week period that preceded the vaccination served as controls of themselves. The vaccine was administered intramuscularly in the deltoid muscle, on a dialysis day, at least 30 min either pre- or post-dialysis. The primary end-point of the study was severe COVID-19 infection, and/or death due to COVID-19 pneumonitis. Furthermore, all vaccinated patients were scrutinized for any local or systemic reactions within the first 7 days post-vaccination. RESULTS: Amongst 113 adult HD patients in our Unit, in total 83 patients had the first 30 μg dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine and were considered eligible to be included in the study. The 8-week survival rate was 91% for the controls and 100% for the vaccine group. No life-threatening allergic reaction or other side-effect was observed post-vaccination. CONCLUSION: The BNT162b2 vaccine can be safely used in HD patients and seems to offer significant protection against the infection even after the first vaccine dose.