Effect of Distress, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms on SARS-CoV-2 mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccine Efficacy in Cancer Patients.

Effect of Distress, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms on SARS-CoV-2 mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccine Efficacy in Cancer Patients.

Publication date: Nov 29, 2024

Our previous study of 291 cancer patients, we showed that 20% did not respond to two doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered six weeks apart. Here, we investigated if psychological factors (distress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms) affected antibody response and markers of vaccine activation (D-dimer) after 6 months from initial vaccination. Overall, 31 subjects (14. 2%) had no antibody response at 6 months. Our analysis revealed significant predictors of vaccine failure, including the stage of metastatic disease and high-stress levels (OR = 2. 46, 95% CI, 1. 05-5. 77, p = 0. 04). Notably, nonresponders showed twice the prevalence of distress than responders (21% vs. 10%, p = 0. 04). Longitudinal measurements of IgG levels indicated that participants with high depressive symptoms at baseline maintained lower antibody levels over six months (p = 0. 003). In addition, women with high anxiety showed reduced levels of D-dimer at 6 months (p = 0. 03). These data also showed that smokers and former smokers had significantly lower antibody levels than their nonsmoking counterparts (p = 0. 0004). At baseline, the high discomfort rate (≥5) was 34. 4% in women and 23. 8% in men; only men experienced an increase in median discomfort during the observation period. Moreover, a higher educational level was related to increased distress among women (p = 0. 046). These findings underscore a critical association between elevated psychological distress and reduced immune responses to the COVID-19 vaccine, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted psychological and behavioral support within this vulnerable population.

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Concepts Keywords
Bnt162b2 anxiety disorders
Cancers C reactive protein
Months COVID-19 vaccines
Stage D dimer
Vaccination depressive disorder
immunogenicity
neoplasms
psychological distress
vaccine

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH Anxiety
disease MESH Depressive Symptoms
disease MESH Cancer
disease MESH educational level
disease MESH psychological distress
drug DRUGBANK Coenzyme M
disease MESH COVID 19
disease MESH depressive disorder
disease MESH anxiety disorders
disease IDO protein
disease MESH morbidity
disease IDO production
drug DRUGBANK Cysteamine
disease MESH seroconversion
disease MESH thrombocytopenia
disease MESH thrombosis
disease MESH lymphopenia

Original Article

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