Francesco Zecchini
Current Organizations / Institutes
The organizations/institutes from the scholar's latest article
Research Subjects
Francesco Zecchini has a total of 8 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Alessandra Tucci
Hematology Division, ERN/EuroloodNet, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
1 shared publication - Arnaldo Caruso
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
1 shared publication - Chiara Cattaneo
Hematology ASST Spedali Civili Brescia Italy
1 shared publication - Cinzia Giagulli
Section of Microbiology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
1 shared publication - Giulia Venneri
Section of Microbiology, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
1 shared publication - Michele Malagola
Unit of Blood Diseases and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia Brescia Italy
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- Open Access
Humoral and Cellular Immune Response in Patients with Hematological Disorders After Three Doses of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine: A Single-Center Observational Study
Background: Hematological patients have a high risk of developing severe COVID-19 (37%). Most mRNA vaccine trials in hematological patients showed a low immunogenicity after two doses, while long-term data are scarce. Methods: In this monocentric retrospective observational study, we evaluated humoral and T cell-mediated immune responses in 230 hematological patients after three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Patients were stratified by age, disease type/state, prior COVID-19 infection, and treatment status and regimens (anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, BTK and BCL-2 inhibitors, and treatment line). Antibody titer to SARS-CoV-2 was assessed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and T cell response by QuantiFERON interferon-γ release assay (IGRA). Data were analyzed using univariate (Fisher’s exact test) and Firth’s bias-reduced penalized-likelihood logistic regression. Results: A robust humoral response was observed with 91.55% of patients developing anti-spike antibodies (GMT 988.83 U/mL). Anti-CD20-bendamustine treatment was associated with a significantly lower antibody positivity compared to untreated subjects. Prior COVID-19 infection significantly boosted both antibody positivity (95.9% vs. 85.2%) and GMT (847.02 U/mL vs. 258.79 U/mL). Conversely, T cell response was suboptimal (36.1% positive), particularly in anti-CD20-bendamustine-treated and multi-treated patients (27.1%), but highest in those treated with BTK inhibitors (50%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis linked multiple treatments to lower T cell response. Following vaccination, 29.1% of patients contracted SARS-CoV-2, but only 0.89% developed severe COVID-19. Conclusions: Three doses of mRNA vaccine elicit a strong humoral but a low T cell response, as detected by IGRA, in hematological patients. These findings underscore the importance of completing vaccination before initiating immunosuppressive therapies.
Open AccessHumoral and Cellular Immune Response in Patients with Hematological Disorders After Three Doses of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine: A Single-Center Observational Study
Background: Hematological patients have a high risk of developing severe COVID-19 (37%). Most mRNA vaccine trials in hematological patients showed a low immunogenicity after two doses, while long-term data are scarce. Methods: In this monocentric retrospective observational study, we evaluated humoral and T cell-mediated immune responses in 230 hematological patients after three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Patients were stratified by age, disease type/state, prior COVID-19 infection, and treatment status and regimens (anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, BTK and BCL-2 inhibitors, and treatment line). Antibody titer to SARS-CoV-2 was assessed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and T cell response by QuantiFERON interferon-γ release assay (IGRA). Data were analyzed using univariate (Fisher’s exact test) and Firth’s bias-reduced penalized-likelihood logistic regression. Results: A robust humoral response was observed with 91.55% of patients developing anti-spike antibodies (GMT 988.83 U/mL). Anti-CD20-bendamustine treatment was associated with a significantly lower antibody positivity compared to untreated subjects. Prior COVID-19 infection significantly boosted both antibody positivity (95.9% vs. 85.2%) and GMT (847.02 U/mL vs. 258.79 U/mL). Conversely, T cell response was suboptimal (36.1% positive), particularly in anti-CD20-bendamustine-treated and multi-treated patients (27.1%), but highest in those treated with BTK inhibitors (50%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis linked multiple treatments to lower T cell response. Following vaccination, 29.1% of patients contracted SARS-CoV-2, but only 0.89% developed severe COVID-19. Conclusions: Three doses of mRNA vaccine elicit a strong humoral but a low T cell response, as detected by IGRA, in hematological patients. These findings underscore the importance of completing vaccination before initiating immunosuppressive therapies.