Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40542134›Full record

ArticleCommunications medicine2025

Determinants of antibody levels and protection against omicron BQ.1/XBB breakthrough infection.

Carla Martín Pérez, Anna Ramírez-Morros, Alfons Jiménez, Marta Vidal, Edwards Pradenas, Diana Barrios, Mar Canyelles, Rocío Rubio, Inocencia Cuamba, Luis Izquierdo and 9 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Carla Martín PérezISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9852-1976
Anna Ramírez-MorrosUnitat de Suport a la Recerca de la Catalunya Central, Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina, Manresa, Spain.
Alfons JiménezISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Marta VidalISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Edwards PradenasIrsiCaixa, Badalona, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5162-8920
Diana BarriosISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Mar CanyellesISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Rocío RubioISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0448-3404
Inocencia CuambaISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Luis IzquierdoISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3704-9874
Pere SantamariaInstitut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain.
Benjamin TrinitéIrsiCaixa, Badalona, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3809-042X
Josep Vidal-AlaballUnitat de Suport a la Recerca de la Catalunya Central, Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina, Manresa, Spain.
Luis M Molinos-AlbertISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5447-6803
Julià BlancoIrsiCaixa, Badalona, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-0217
Ruth AguilarISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Anna Ruiz-Comellas *Unitat de Suport a la Recerca de la Catalunya Central, Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina, Manresa, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2848-2326
Gemma Moncunill *ISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. gemma.moncunill@isglobal.org.
Carlota Dobaño *ISGlobal, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. carlota.dobano@isglobal.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6751-4060

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2, particularly through the emergence of new variants, continues to challenge our understanding of immune protection. While antibody levels correlate with protection against earlier variants such as Alpha and Delta, their relationship with Omicron sub-variants remains unclear.

methodsTo investigate the role of antibody levels and neutralizing activity in preventing breakthrough infections, we analyzed longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 humoral responses and neutralizing activity against the ancestral virus and major emerging variants in a well-characterized cohort of healthcare workers in Spain (N = 405).

resultsWe find that antibody levels and neutralization titers are key indicators of protection against SARS-CoV-2, including the more evasive BQ.1 and XBB Omicron variants. Higher IgG and IgA levels are associated with protection over three 6-month follow-up periods sequentially dominated by BA.1, BA.2, BA.5, BQ.1, and XBB Omicron sub-variants, although the strength of the association between antibody levels and protection declines over time.

conclusionsOur findings demonstrate that binding antibody levels and neutralizing responses are valid correlates of protection against more evasive BQ.1 and XBB Omicron variants, although the strength of this association diminishes over time. Additionally, our results underscore the importance of continuous monitoring and updating vaccination strategies to maintain effective protection against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Identifiers

PMID40542134
PMCPMC12181274

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.