Assessment of the post-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination response depending on the epidemiological status, demographic parameters and levels of selected cytokines in medical personnel

INTRODUCTION: SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for causing the COVID-19 disease, which affected 174 million people worldwide. After vaccines were launched, the focus was on their effectiveness and the degree of their safety. AIM: The authors try to find factors that may affect the response to vaccination. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 47 adults (39 women and 8 men; age: 47.3 ±11.2). Participants were vaccinated with two doses of the Comirnaty mRNA vaccine. Each patient had a medical history taken and the concentration of specific sIgG antibodies against S1 protein and SARS-CoV-2 N protein, as well as of selected cytokines (IL-8, TGF-β, IFN-γ) was determined before and 3 weeks after the first and second dose of the vaccine. RESULTS: There were 18 convalescents among the respondents. A statistically significant increase in the concentration of specific sIgG S1 in subsequent determinations was observed. Higher levels of sIgG S1 were found after the first dose of the vaccine in COVID-19 convalescents. There was no statistically significant influence of age, body mass index and sex on the increase in the concentration of antibodies and the concentration of the determined cytokines. It was shown that the higher the initial TGF-β concentration, the greater the increase in sIgG S1 after administration of the vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination did not increase the levels of IL-8, IFN-β and TGF-γ. A higher concentration of serum TGF-β before vaccination correlated with the higher concentration of sIgG S1 antibodies after the first dose of the vaccine.