The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients

<i><b>Background:</b></i> Hemodialysis patients, due to impaired kidney function and compromised immune responses, face increased risks from SARS-CoV-2. Anti-nucleocapsid IgG (anti-IgG N) antibodies are a commonly used marker to assess prior infection in the general populatio...

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Main Authors: Akemi Hara, Shun Watanabe, Toyoaki Sawano, Yuki Sonoda, Hiroaki Saito, Akihiko Ozaki, Masatoshi Wakui, Tianchen Zhao, Chika Yamamoto, Yurie Kobashi, Toshiki Abe, Takeshi Kawamura, Akira Sugiyama, Aya Nakayama, Yudai Kaneko, Hiroaki Shimmura, Masaharu Tsubokura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Vaccines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/7/750
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author Akemi Hara
Shun Watanabe
Toyoaki Sawano
Yuki Sonoda
Hiroaki Saito
Akihiko Ozaki
Masatoshi Wakui
Tianchen Zhao
Chika Yamamoto
Yurie Kobashi
Toshiki Abe
Takeshi Kawamura
Akira Sugiyama
Aya Nakayama
Yudai Kaneko
Hiroaki Shimmura
Masaharu Tsubokura
author_facet Akemi Hara
Shun Watanabe
Toyoaki Sawano
Yuki Sonoda
Hiroaki Saito
Akihiko Ozaki
Masatoshi Wakui
Tianchen Zhao
Chika Yamamoto
Yurie Kobashi
Toshiki Abe
Takeshi Kawamura
Akira Sugiyama
Aya Nakayama
Yudai Kaneko
Hiroaki Shimmura
Masaharu Tsubokura
author_sort Akemi Hara
collection DOAJ
description <i><b>Background:</b></i> Hemodialysis patients, due to impaired kidney function and compromised immune responses, face increased risks from SARS-CoV-2. Anti-nucleocapsid IgG (anti-IgG N) antibodies are a commonly used marker to assess prior infection in the general population; however, their efficacy for hemodialysis patients remains unclear. <i><b>Methods:</b></i> A retrospective study of 361 hemodialysis patients evaluated anti-IgG N antibodies for detecting prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antibody levels were measured using a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) over the four time points. Boxplots illustrated antibody distribution across sampling stages and infection status. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff values. <i><b>Results:</b></i> Among the 361 hemodialysis patients, 36 (10.0%) had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sex distribution showed a trend toward significance (<i>p</i> = 0.05). Boxplot analysis showed that anti-IgG N levels remained low in non-infected patients but increased in infected patients, peaking at the third sampling. Anti-IgG N demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (AUC: 0.973–0.865) but declined over time (<i>p</i> = 0.00525). The optimal cutoff at C1 was 0.01 AU/mL (sensitivity 1.00, specificity 0.94). Adjusted models had lower predictive value. <i><b>Conclusions:</b></i> Anti-IgG N antibodies showed high diagnostic accuracy for detecting prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in hemodialysis patients, though performance declined over time. These findings highlight the need for tailored diagnostic strategies in this vulnerable population.
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spelling doaj-art-3bd461ed2f0a48a194e2a4becab5e54d2025-08-20T03:56:49ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2025-07-0113775010.3390/vaccines13070750The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis PatientsAkemi Hara0Shun Watanabe1Toyoaki Sawano2Yuki Sonoda3Hiroaki Saito4Akihiko Ozaki5Masatoshi Wakui6Tianchen Zhao7Chika Yamamoto8Yurie Kobashi9Toshiki Abe10Takeshi Kawamura11Akira Sugiyama12Aya Nakayama13Yudai Kaneko14Hiroaki Shimmura15Masaharu Tsubokura16Clinical Research Center, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Urology, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Nursing, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City 960-1295, Fukushima, JapanClinical Research Center, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinju-ku 160-8582, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City 960-1295, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City 960-1295, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City 960-1295, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City 960-1295, Fukushima, JapanIsotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-0032, Tokyo, JapanIsotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-0032, Tokyo, JapanIsotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-0032, Tokyo, JapanLaboratory for Systems Biology and Medicine, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku 153-8904, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Urology, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City 960-1295, Fukushima, Japan<i><b>Background:</b></i> Hemodialysis patients, due to impaired kidney function and compromised immune responses, face increased risks from SARS-CoV-2. Anti-nucleocapsid IgG (anti-IgG N) antibodies are a commonly used marker to assess prior infection in the general population; however, their efficacy for hemodialysis patients remains unclear. <i><b>Methods:</b></i> A retrospective study of 361 hemodialysis patients evaluated anti-IgG N antibodies for detecting prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antibody levels were measured using a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) over the four time points. Boxplots illustrated antibody distribution across sampling stages and infection status. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff values. <i><b>Results:</b></i> Among the 361 hemodialysis patients, 36 (10.0%) had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sex distribution showed a trend toward significance (<i>p</i> = 0.05). Boxplot analysis showed that anti-IgG N levels remained low in non-infected patients but increased in infected patients, peaking at the third sampling. Anti-IgG N demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (AUC: 0.973–0.865) but declined over time (<i>p</i> = 0.00525). The optimal cutoff at C1 was 0.01 AU/mL (sensitivity 1.00, specificity 0.94). Adjusted models had lower predictive value. <i><b>Conclusions:</b></i> Anti-IgG N antibodies showed high diagnostic accuracy for detecting prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in hemodialysis patients, though performance declined over time. These findings highlight the need for tailored diagnostic strategies in this vulnerable population.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/7/750COVID-19renal dialysisimmunoglobulin Gnucleocapsid proteinsserologic tests
spellingShingle Akemi Hara
Shun Watanabe
Toyoaki Sawano
Yuki Sonoda
Hiroaki Saito
Akihiko Ozaki
Masatoshi Wakui
Tianchen Zhao
Chika Yamamoto
Yurie Kobashi
Toshiki Abe
Takeshi Kawamura
Akira Sugiyama
Aya Nakayama
Yudai Kaneko
Hiroaki Shimmura
Masaharu Tsubokura
The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients
Vaccines
COVID-19
renal dialysis
immunoglobulin G
nucleocapsid proteins
serologic tests
title The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients
title_full The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients
title_fullStr The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients
title_full_unstemmed The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients
title_short The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients
title_sort anti nucleocapsid igg antibody as a marker of sars cov 2 infection for hemodialysis patients
topic COVID-19
renal dialysis
immunoglobulin G
nucleocapsid proteins
serologic tests
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/7/750
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