Chronic cold agglutinin disease after a third COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been approved in many countries, and have been administered since 2020. Recent reports of mRNA vaccination exacerbating autoimmune hematologic disorders, such as immune thrombocytopenia or autoimmune hemolytic anemia, have caught the attention of the general public, resulting in alarm over the risks of serious consequences. Meanwhile, in very rare cases, vaccination was reported to trigger new onset of hemolytic anemia. However, it remains unknown whether this was a transient reaction or a persistent event, because all cases reported to date were immediately treated with corticosteroids or rituximab. Here, we present a case of newly diagnosed cold agglutinin disease after a third COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. The patient was followed for 4 months without treatment and continued to exhibit high levels of cold agglutinin and aggregation of red blood cells. The present case indicates that the disease can become chronic, and provides insights into the pathogenesis and treatment strategies.