Immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess humoral response to influenza vaccine in patients (pts) with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) as compared to healthy subjects (ctrl). Patients and methods: In two epidemic seasons, 2003/2004 and 2004/2005, 163 pts and 92 ctrl were vaccinated. Antibody titers to hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) were measured in serum samples collected before vaccination, and 1 and 6 months apart. Changes in antibody titers were assessed by comparing geometric mean titers (GMT), mean fold increases (MFI), and seroprotection and seroresponse rates to baseline values. Results: Pts vaccinated in 2003/2004 had, after 1 month, increase in GMT by a factor of 8.64-26.60 for antihemagglutinin antibodies (HI) and 6.93-12.66 for antineuraminidase antibodies (NI), as compared to factor of 9.12-24.41 for HI and 4.83-10.31 for NI in ctrl. At 1 month after vaccination, seroprotection and seroresponse rates were similar in both groups, ranging from 68.42 to 84.21% and 71.93 to 94.74% in NHL, and 66.67-82.22% and 62.22-86.67% in ctrl, respectively. Pts vaccinated in 2004/2005 had increase in the GMT by a factor of 38.76-41.49 for HI and 26.59-30.31 for NI, as compared to factor of 81.19-104.32 for HI and 52.16-54.52 for NI in ctrl. Seroprotection and seroresponse rates were lower in the former group, ranging from 62.11 to 65.26% and 74.47 to 77.66%, respectively. In both seasons, pts achieved titres of antibodies greater than the protective threshold, irrespective of the previous chemotherapy administration. Conclusions: The results indicate that influenza vaccination induces sufficient immune response in pts with NHL, irrespective of previous chemotherapy.