Immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Aim of the study: to evaluate the immune response rate in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who received the full hepatitis B vaccination course in infancy. we also evaluated rates of response to booster doses. Material and methods: participants were 1- to 18-year-old children with IBD, who received 3 doses of the hepatitis B vaccine in infancy. the study subjects were on no immunosuppressive therapy, on immunomodulators, on biological therapy, or received combo therapy. anti-hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-hBs) level ≥ 10 mIu/ml was considered to be seroprotective. patients with anti-hBs level < 10 mIu/ml received 1 or 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine, and their post-vaccination anti-hBs levels were evaluated. Results: In total, we included 157 subjects, with a median age of 14.5 years. anti-hBs levels ≥ 10 miu/ml were found in 84/157 (53.5%) patients and were not associated with age (p = 0.3), sex (p = 0.7), or IBD type (p = 0.9). there was no significant difference in the rate of seroconversion between IBD patients treated with no immunosuppressive drugs, immunomodulators, biologicals, and combo therapy (30.4% vs. 39.3% vs. 2.7% vs. 7.1%, respectively, p = 0.3). after the first and third dose of booster vaccine, anti-hBs levels ≥ 10 mIu/ml were as follows: 92% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions: the immune response in children with IBD, who received the full series of hepatitis B vaccinations in infancy was inadequate and did not depend on the type of therapy. the booster dose(s) of vaccine could help to protect this group of patients from hepatitis B virus.