Obesity as a Predictor of Poor Antibody Response to Hepatitis B Plasma Vaccine
- David J. Weber, MD, MPH;
- William A. Rutala, PhD, MPH;
- Gregory P. Samsa, MS;
- Jane E. Santimaw, RN;
- Stanley M. Lemon, MD
Abstract
Factors associated with lack of antibody response to the hepatitis B virus plasma vaccine were retrospectively evaluated by means of a logistic regression in 194 previously seronegative staff members of a community hospital. All subjects had received three doses of vaccine by intramuscular buttock injection using a 1-in, 23-gauge needle. Overall, only 55.7% of subjects developed detectable antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen in serum after immunization. The weight-height index served as a surrogate measure of obesity. Predictors of poor immunogenic response to hepatitis B vaccine included higher weight-height index, older age, and vaccine batch. Sex, race, timing of vaccine doses, and timing of postimmunization determination of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen were not predictors of vaccine efficacy.
(JAMA 1985;254:3187-3189)
Footnotes
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Read before the 25th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Minneapolis, Sept 30, 1985.
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Reprint requests to Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 547 Clinical Sciences Bldg 229H, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (Dr Weber).
