Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from Spain

IntroductionDespite the high efficacy of the anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) BNT162b2 vaccine (Comirnaty®, Pfizer-BioNTech), variability in the antibody titers following vaccination has been described. However, little is known about the risk factors that are associated with a poorer antibod...

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Main Authors: Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz, Esther Serrano-Conde, Ana Fuentes, Alba Leyva, Federico García, Pilar Requena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1590939/full
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author Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz
Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz
Esther Serrano-Conde
Ana Fuentes
Ana Fuentes
Ana Fuentes
Alba Leyva
Federico García
Federico García
Federico García
Pilar Requena
Pilar Requena
Pilar Requena
author_facet Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz
Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz
Esther Serrano-Conde
Ana Fuentes
Ana Fuentes
Ana Fuentes
Alba Leyva
Federico García
Federico García
Federico García
Pilar Requena
Pilar Requena
Pilar Requena
author_sort Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionDespite the high efficacy of the anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) BNT162b2 vaccine (Comirnaty®, Pfizer-BioNTech), variability in the antibody titers following vaccination has been described. However, little is known about the risk factors that are associated with a poorer antibody response to the BNT162b2 vaccine.MethodologyWe studied the determinants of the humoral response to the anti-COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in 200 healthcare workers followed up for 2 years. Serum samples were tested for the anti-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels and neutralizing antibody titers against selected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants at different time points after primary and booster vaccinations. Anthropometric data and clinical and lifestyle information were also collected. Statistical analyses consisted of linear and logistical regressions for point estimations and the Mann–Whitney, Friedman, and generalized estimating equations for repeated measures.ResultsAfter the primary vaccination, the antibody titers and the percentage of seroconverted individuals peaked at 5 weeks but declined after 1 year; however, they remained high after the booster administration. After the first dose of the vaccine, negative associations of the anti-spike IgG levels with age (β = −0.01, 95%CI = −0.03 to −0.003), smoking habit (β = −1.08, 95%CI = −1.70 to −0.46), and alcohol consumption (β = −1.43, 95%CI = −2.20 to −0.65) were found. With regard to the booster vaccine, the following associations were retained in the stepwise multivariate model: anti-Delta neutralizing antibodies with hip circumference (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.01–1.12, p = 0.008), anti-Delta-K antibodies with hip circumference (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 1.01–1.11, p = 0.007), and anti-Omicron antibodies with the Mediterranean diet score (OR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.58–0.96, p = 0.023).ConclusionLifestyle habits and age had an association with the humoral response to the BNT162b2 vaccine.
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spelling doaj-art-690428d8aa2b411eab52f971a68271d62025-08-20T03:21:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-05-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15909391590939Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from SpainLuis Sarabia de Ardanaz0Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz1Esther Serrano-Conde2Ana Fuentes3Ana Fuentes4Ana Fuentes5Alba Leyva6Federico García7Federico García8Federico García9Pilar Requena10Pilar Requena11Pilar Requena12Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Granada, SpainServicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario de Jaén, Jaén, SpainServicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, SpainServicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, SpainInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, SpainCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, SpainVircell, S.L., Granada, SpainServicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, SpainInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, SpainCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, SpainUniversidad de Granada, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Granada, SpainInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, SpainCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, SpainIntroductionDespite the high efficacy of the anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) BNT162b2 vaccine (Comirnaty®, Pfizer-BioNTech), variability in the antibody titers following vaccination has been described. However, little is known about the risk factors that are associated with a poorer antibody response to the BNT162b2 vaccine.MethodologyWe studied the determinants of the humoral response to the anti-COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in 200 healthcare workers followed up for 2 years. Serum samples were tested for the anti-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels and neutralizing antibody titers against selected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants at different time points after primary and booster vaccinations. Anthropometric data and clinical and lifestyle information were also collected. Statistical analyses consisted of linear and logistical regressions for point estimations and the Mann–Whitney, Friedman, and generalized estimating equations for repeated measures.ResultsAfter the primary vaccination, the antibody titers and the percentage of seroconverted individuals peaked at 5 weeks but declined after 1 year; however, they remained high after the booster administration. After the first dose of the vaccine, negative associations of the anti-spike IgG levels with age (β = −0.01, 95%CI = −0.03 to −0.003), smoking habit (β = −1.08, 95%CI = −1.70 to −0.46), and alcohol consumption (β = −1.43, 95%CI = −2.20 to −0.65) were found. With regard to the booster vaccine, the following associations were retained in the stepwise multivariate model: anti-Delta neutralizing antibodies with hip circumference (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.01–1.12, p = 0.008), anti-Delta-K antibodies with hip circumference (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 1.01–1.11, p = 0.007), and anti-Omicron antibodies with the Mediterranean diet score (OR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.58–0.96, p = 0.023).ConclusionLifestyle habits and age had an association with the humoral response to the BNT162b2 vaccine.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1590939/fullCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2vaccinesBNT162b2anti-spike IgGneutralizing antibodies
spellingShingle Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz
Luis Sarabia de Ardanaz
Esther Serrano-Conde
Ana Fuentes
Ana Fuentes
Ana Fuentes
Alba Leyva
Federico García
Federico García
Federico García
Pilar Requena
Pilar Requena
Pilar Requena
Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from Spain
Frontiers in Immunology
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
vaccines
BNT162b2
anti-spike IgG
neutralizing antibodies
title Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from Spain
title_full Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from Spain
title_fullStr Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from Spain
title_full_unstemmed Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from Spain
title_short Negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 in health workers from Spain
title_sort negative associations of age and lifestyle factors with the antibody response to the covid 19 vaccine bnt162b2 in health workers from spain
topic COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
vaccines
BNT162b2
anti-spike IgG
neutralizing antibodies
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1590939/full
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