COVID-19 vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis: What we have learnt by February 2021.
Mult Scler
; 27(6): 864-870, 2021 05.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1223729
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Since vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became available, risks related to vaccinating patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) need to be carefully assessed.OBJECTIVE:
Characterize safety and occurrence of immediate relapses following COVID-19 vaccination in a large cohort of MS patients.METHODS:
We assessed the safety of BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccination in adult MS patients.RESULTS:
Between 20 December 2020 and 25 January 2021, 555 MS patients received the first dose of BNT162b2 vaccine and 435 received the second dose. There were three cases of COVID-19 infection encountered after the first dose. Safety profile of COVID-19 vaccine was characterized by pain at the injection site, fatigue, and headache. No increased risk of relapse activity was noted over a median follow-up of 20 and 38 days after first and second vaccine doses, respectively. The rate of patients with acute relapse was 2.1% and 1.6% following the first and second doses, respectively, similar to the rate in non-vaccinating patients during the corresponding period. Mild increase in the rate of adverse events was noted in younger patients (18-55 years), among patients with lower disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ⩽3.0), and in patients treated with immunomodulatory drugs.CONCLUSION:
COVID-19 BNT162b2 vaccine proved safe for MS patients. No increased risk of relapse activity was noted.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Vaccination
/
COVID-19 Vaccines
/
Multiple Sclerosis
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
/
Vaccines
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Language:
English
Journal:
Mult Scler
Journal subject:
Neurology
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
13524585211003476
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS