Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics and Laboratory Values Before the First SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination
| LC patients (n = 48) | LT recipients (n = 138) | Controls (n = 52) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 53.8 (9.5) | 55.0 (13.19) | 50.9 (11.6) | .095 |
| Females | 19 (39.6) | 59 (42.8) | 33 (63.5) | .021 |
| Vaccine regimen | .068 | |||
| mRNA/mRNA | 44 (91.6) | 121 (87.7) | 39 (75.0) | |
| BNT162b2 | 38 (79.2) | 110 (79.7) | 36 (69.2) | |
| mRNA-1273 | 6 (12.4) | 11 (8.0) | 3 (5.8) | |
| AZD1222/AZD1222 | 1 (2.1) | 6 (4.3) | 2 (3.8) | |
| AZD1222/mRNA | 3 (6.3) | 11 (8.0) | 11 (21.2) | |
| Days 1st to 2nd vaccine | 42 (41–43) | 42 (40–42) | 36 (22–63) | .054 |
| Days 2nd vaccine to follow-up | 28 (21–41) | 29 (25–39) | 49 (28–74) | < .001 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 26.3 (23.4–29.8) | 24.8 (22.4–28.5) | .069 | |
| Diabetes | 12 (25.0) | 29 (21.0) | .566 | |
| Arterial hypertension | 18 (37.5) | 85 (61.6) | .004 | |
| CKD with eGFR 30–59 mL/min | 6 (16.7) | 38 (37.3) | .026 | |
| eGFR <30 mL/min | 1 (2.8) | 8 (7.8) | .446 | |
| Etiology of liver disease | .006 | |||
| ALD | 23 (47.9) | 28 (20.3) | ||
| Viral | 3 (6.3) | 17 (12.3) | ||
| AILD | 11 (22.9) | 40 (29.0) | ||
| NASH | 4 (8.3) | 7 (5.1) | ||
| Pediatric | – | 5 (3.6) | ||
| Cryptogenic | 5 (10.4) | 13 (9.4) | ||
| ALF | 1 (2.1) | 5 (3.6) | ||
| Other | 1 (2.1) | 23 (16.7) | ||
| HCC | 5 (10.4) | 25 (18.1) | .212 | |
| Child-Pugh class | ||||
| A | 16 (33.3) | |||
| B | 18 (37.5) | |||
| C | 14 (29.2) | |||
| TIPS | 9 (18.9) | |||
| Time from 1st LT, y | 7 (2–17) | |||
| Vaccination < 1 y post LT | 17 (12.3) | |||
| Prednisone | 43 (31.2) | |||
| CNI | 128 (92.8) | |||
| Tacrolimus | 95 (68.8) | |||
| Cyclosporin | 33 (23.9) | |||
| CNI monotherapy | 33 (23.9) | |||
| CNI + prednisone | 19 (13.8) | |||
| CNI + mTORi | 17 (12.3) | |||
| CNI + MMF | 48 (34.8) | |||
| CNI + azathioprine | 9 (6.5) | |||
| Biologicals | 8 (5.8) | |||
| ≥3 Immunosuppressants | 18 (13.0) |
| LCa | LTb | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HbA1c, % (ref. 4.8-5.6) | 4.4 (4.1–5.9) | 5.7 (5.1–6.0) | .080 | |
| Creatinine, mg/dL (ref. 0.55-1.02) | 0.9 (0.8–1.1) | 1.1 (0.9–1.5) | < .001 | |
| eGFR, mL/min | 80.5 (66.0–102.8) | 64.0 (43.5–82.3) | .001 | |
| MELD | 14 (10–19) | – | ||
| IgG, g/L (ref. 6.5-16.0) | 14.7 (11.9–19.1) | 10.6 (8.4–12.0) | < .001 | |
| IgA, g/L (ref. 0.4-3.5) | 4.2 (3.6–5.6) | 1.7 (1.3–2.6) | < .001 | |
| IgM, g/L (ref. 0.5-3.0) | 1.8 (1.0–2.7) | 1.1 (0.7–1.7) | .053 | |
| Lymphocytes, /μl (ref. 1000-3600) | 994 (757–1422) | 950 (667–1404) | .786 | |
| T-lymphocytes, /μl (ref. 900-2900) | 626 (406–933) | 746 (391–1044) | .488 | |
| B-lymphocytes, /μl (ref. 80-500) | 128 (84–252) | 92 (56–130) | .100 | |
| CD4-helper cells, /μl (ref. 500-1350) | 504 (264–682) | 413 (225–572) | .447 | |
| CD8-cytotoxic cells, /μl (ref. 290-930) | 112 (86–240) | 242 (158–440) | .004 | |
| NK-cells, /μl (ref. 35-350) | 174 (67–326) | 122 (63–207) | .263 | |
| CD4/CD8 ratio (ref. 0.6-3.6) | 3.3 (2.1–5.1) | 1.5 (1.1–2.2) | < .001 |
Note: Data are presented as number (%), mean (standard deviation), or median (interquartile range).
Note: Boldface P values indicate statistical significance.
AILD, Autoimmune liver disease; ALD, alcoholic liver disease; ALF, acute liver failure; BMI, body mass index; CKD, chronic kidney disease; CNI, calcineurin inhibitor; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; HC, healthy control; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; IQR, interquartile range; LC, liver cirrhosis; LT, liver transplant; MELD, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; mTORi, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors; NASH, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2; SD, standard deviation; TIPS, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt.
n ranges from 17 to 36.
n ranges from 42 to 102.