Prospective Monitoring of Antibody Response Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients With Down Syndrome.

Overview

The risk of severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in people with Down Syndrome is substantially increased. The risk of death is 3-10 fold higher than in healthy people. SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been registered for adults and adolescents but none of them have been studied in people with Down Syndrome. Vaccine responses in people with Down Syndrome are known to be suboptimal. Therefor the objective of this study is to assess the immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in people with Down syndrome. To do so, the antibody response, cellulair and mucosal immuneresponse in people with Down syndrome after the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination will be evaluated and compared to healthy controls.

All participants will receive two vaccinations against COVID-19 according to the manufacturer's instructions as part of the Dutch SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program (GGD/RIVM). To assess the immune response after vaccination, blood samples will be collected at baseline (i.e. \<2 months prior to first vaccination (t=1)), 21-28 days after first vaccination and prior to second vaccination (t=2), 28 days (3-6 weeks) (t=3) and 12 (+/- 1) months (t=4) after the second vaccination. To evaluate haematological parameters, additional blood samples will be collected at baseline, 21-28 days after the first vaccination and 28 days after the second vaccination. Per visit/time-point maximum 60 ml blood will be drawn. In children the maximum amount of blood taken per visit/time-point will be 0,8 ml/kg up to 60 ml. In addition Mucosal Lining Fluid (MLF) samples will be collected at 28 days (3-6 weeks) (t=3) and 12 (+/- 1) months (t=4) after the second vaccination to evaluate the mucosal immune response after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. In the pediatric part of the study Mucosal Lining Fluid (MLF) samples will be collected at all timepoints. Although vaccine administration is not part of this study, vaccine type, batch number and dosing will be registered. This information will be obtained from the "COVID-vaccination information and monitoring system (CIMS)" of the RIVM. Clinical course including the occurrence of COVID-19 will be monitored during the first year after vaccination. To evaluate vaccination related AEs, patients will be asked to collect solicited local and systemic AEs for 7 days after each vaccination using an online questionnaire, as vaccination related AEs are mainly expected in the first week after vaccination. The link to the online questionnaires will be sent to the emailaddress of the participants and/or their representative/carer. If the participants and/or their representative/carers are not able to fill out the diary online, they will be contacted by phone. Although this study is not powered to detect differences in protection against COVID-19 between patients and controls, information on incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, outcome of COVID-19 will be collected up to 12 months after vaccination for descriptive purposes.