Neurological manifestations associated with COVID-19 vaccine

Neurological manifestations of immune origin after COVID-19 vaccination: retrospective case study

Objectives: To know the frequency and characteristics of neurological manifestations of probable immune origin occurring after exposure to COVID-19 vaccination. In addition, to pre-study the usefulness of the Spanish pharmacovigilance system and lymphocyte transformation test in establishing causality. Methods: Retrospective case study, including patients admitted to the Neurology department from January 2021 to May 2022 with a probable neuroimmune disorder. Demographic, clinical and COVID-19 vaccination antecedent data were collected from medical records. Results: From a total of 108 patients, 30 were excluded due to a different etiological diagnosis after follow-up. Thirty-six patients (46.2%) had received the COVID-19 vaccine in the previous 3 months (21.8% during the previous month). BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine was the most frequent in this group (63.9%). 69/108 were female and mean age 51.2 years (SD 22.59), with no significant difference with not recently-vaccinated (U-Mann Whitney, p = 0.256). The neurological syndromes found were (vaccinated/total): polyradiculoneuropathy (8/16), encephalitis (5/11), multiple sclerosis relapse (5/16), optic neuritis (1/4), myelitis (3/6), cranial neuropathy (6/10), aseptic meningitis (1/3) and others (7/11). Acute immunosuppressive treatment was administered in 61.1% of cases and 47.2% presented complete clinical improvement, without significant differences with non-vaccinated patients (chi-square, p = 0.570). Eleven vaccinated patients were studied in the pharmacovigilance office for possible adverse drug reaction. Causality according to the Spanish pharmacovigilance system (SPVS) algorithm was "Related" to COVID-19 vaccine (score ≥ 4) in 11 cases with positive in vitro study (lymphocyte transformation test) to polyethylene glycol-2000 and polysorbate-80 in 4 cases. Conclusion: Neuroimmune disorders appearing after administration of COVID-19 vaccine do not seem to present important differentiating clinical and/or evolutive features. Delayed hypersensitivity to vaccine excipients could be one of the pathophysiological mechanisms, and lymphocyte transformation test is a useful tool to identify it.

Central nervous system manifestations following vaccination against COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has become the most effective countermeasure in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. However, vaccination is associated with side effects. This narrative review focuses on central nervous system (CNS) manifestations following COVID-19 vaccination and provides a summary of the potential underlying mechanisms and methods of diagnosis and management of the vaccination-related CNS manifestations. Headache, myalgia, optic neuritis, seizure, multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and encephalitis, delirium, acute transverse myelitis, and stroke have been reported after COVID-19 vaccination. Constant headache and myalgia are common manifestations that may necessitate further clinical investigation for stroke. To limit consequences, it is imperative to follow standard treatment protocols for each neurological disorder following COVID-19 vaccination. Immunosuppressive medication can be helpful in the treatment of seizures following vaccination since the immune response is involved in their etiology. Clinicians should be aware of the manifestations after COVID-19 vaccination to respond promptly and effectively. Clinical guidelines for the management of CNS manifestations following COVID-19 vaccination are in high demand and would be useful in each new SARS-CoV-2 variant pandemic.

New-onset psychosis following COVID-19 vaccination: a systematic review

Background

The emergence of a new coronavirus strain caused the COVID-19 pandemic. While vaccines effectively control the infection, it's important to acknowledge the potential for side effects, including rare cases like psychosis, which may increase with the rising number of vaccinations.

Objectives

Our systematic review aimed to examine cases of new-onset psychosis following COVID-19 vaccination.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of case reports and case series on new-onset psychosis following COVID-19 vaccination from December 1st, 2019, to November 21st, 2023, using PubMed, MEDLINE, ClinicalKey, and ScienceDirect. Data extraction covered study and participant characteristics, comorbidities, COVID-19 vaccine details, and clinical features. The Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tools were employed for included studies, revealing no significant publication bias.

Results

A total of 21 articles described 24 cases of new-onset psychotic symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination. Of these cases, 54.2% were female, with a mean age of 33.71 ± 12.02 years. Psychiatric events were potentially induced by the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine in 33.3% of cases, and psychotic symptoms appeared in 25% following the viral vector ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. The mean onset time was 5.75 ± 8.14 days, mostly reported after the first or second dose. The duration of psychotic symptoms ranged between 1 and 2 months with a mean of 52.48 ± 60.07 days. Blood test abnormalities were noted in 50% of cases, mainly mild to moderate leukocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein. Magnetic resonance imaging results were abnormal in 20.8%, often showing fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity in the white matter. Treatment included atypical antipsychotics in 83.3% of cases, typical antipsychotics in 37.5%, benzodiazepines in 50%, 20.8% received steroids, and 25% were prescribed antiepileptic medications. Overall, 50% of patients achieved full recovery.

Conclusion

Studies on psychiatric side effects post-COVID-19 vaccination are limited, and making conclusions on vaccine advantages or disadvantages is challenging. Vaccination is generally safe, but data suggest a potential link between young age, mRNA, and viral vector vaccines with new-onset psychosis within 7 days post-vaccination. Collecting data on vaccine-related psychiatric effects is crucial for prevention, and an algorithm for monitoring and treating mental health reactions post-vaccination is necessary for comprehensive management.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023446270.

Short-term COVID-19 vaccine adverse effects among adults in Ekiti State, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

The safety of the COVID-19 vaccines has been a topic of concern globally. This issue of safety is associated with vaccine hesitancy due to concerns about the adverse effects of the vaccines. Consequently, this study determined the short-term safety profile of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

METHODS

Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between May and July 2021 among individuals who had received the first dose of the first batch of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. A Google form was used to collect data on the adverse effects of the vaccine.

RESULTS

Out of over 1,000 individuals who were approached, 758 respondents completed the study. A large percentage (57.4%) of those who received the vaccines were healthcare workers. Adverse effects were reported in 70.8% of the participants with most manifesting on the first day of the vaccination. The predominant adverse effects were injection site soreness (28.5%), followed by fatigue (18.7%) and muscle pain (8.6%). There was no report of severe adverse effects such as anaphylactic reactions, thrombosis, myocarditis, transient myelitis, or Guillen-Barre syndrome.

CONCLUSION

This study found that self-reported adverse effects of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine were mild and short in duration. This outcome has promising implications for improving COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the immediate environment and Nigeria.

Neurological Disorders following COVID-19 Vaccination

Nowadays, people all over the world have been receiving different types of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. While their effectiveness has been well recognized, various post-vaccination disorders are not fully understood. In this review, we discuss neurological disorders related to vascular, immune, infectious, and functional factors following COVID-19 vaccination, and attempt to provide neuroscientists, psychiatrists, and vaccination staff with a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. These disorders may present as a recurrence of previous neurological disorders or new-onset diseases. Their incidence rate, host and vaccine characteristics, clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis differ significantly. The pathogenesis of many of them remains unclear, and further studies are needed to provide more evidence. The incidence rate of severe neurological disorders is relatively low, most of which are reversible or treatable. Therefore, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risk of COVID-19 infection, especially among fragile populations.

Diagnostic Pitfalls in Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Case Report and Literature Review

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) represents a group of acute immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathies that is usually characterized by symmetrical limb weakness and areflexia. GBS can also lead to atypical clinical findings, which may lead to confusion and errors in the diagnosis. In this report, we describe a case of Guillain-Barré syndrome in a 7-year-old child who presented with neck stiffness, headache and vomiting mimicking acute meningoencephalitis, arthritis and myositis. Symptoms of ascending paralysis developed subsequently. Clearly, the atypical presentation of GBS is a significant dilemma for pediatricians and may lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.