Characteristics of emerging new autoimmune diseases after COVID-19 vaccination: A sub-study by the COVAD group

Shumnalieva R, Ravichandran N, Hannah J, Javaid M, Darooka N, Roy D, Gonzalez DE, Velikova T, Milchert M, Kuwana M, Joshi M, Gracia-Ramos AE, Boyd P, Yaadav P, Cheng K, Kobert L, Cavagna L, Sen P, Day J, Makol A, Gutiérrez CET, Caballero-Uribe CV, Saha S, Parodis I, Dey D, Nikiphorou E, Distler O, Kadam E, Tan AL, Shinjo SK, Ziade N, Knitza J, Chinoy H, Aggarwal R, Agarwal V, Gupta L (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

Book Volume: 27

Article Number: e15178

Journal Issue: 5

DOI: 10.1111/1756-185X.15178

Abstract

Background: Despite the overall safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccinations, rare cases of systemic autoimmune diseases (SAIDs) have been reported post-vaccination. This study used a global survey to analyze SAIDs in susceptible individuals' post-vaccination. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among participants with self-reported new-onset SAIDs using the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) 2 study dataset—a validated, patient-reported e-survey—to analyze the long-term safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Baseline characteristics of patients with new-onset SAIDs and vaccinated healthy controls (HCs) were compared after propensity score matching based on age and sex in a 1:4 ratio. Results: Of 16 750 individuals, 74 (median age 52 years, 79.9% females, and 76.7% Caucasians) had new-onset SAID post-vaccination, mainly idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) (n = 23, 31.51%), arthritis (n = 15; 20.53%), and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) (n = 12, 16.40%). Higher odds of new-onset SAIDs were noted among Caucasians (OR = 5.3; 95% CI = 2.9–9.7; p <.001) and Moderna vaccine recipients (OR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.3–5.3; p =.004). New-onset SAIDs were associated with AID multimorbidity (OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1–1.7; p <.001), mental health disorders (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.3–1.9; p <.001), and mixed race (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.2–4.2; p =.010), where those aged >60 years (OR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.4–0.8; p =.007) and from high/medium human development index (HDI) countries (compared to very high HDI) reported fewer events than HCs. Conclusion: This study reports a low occurrence of new-onset SAIDs following COVID-19 vaccination, primarily IIMs, PMR, and inflammatory arthritis. Identified risk factors included pre-existing AID multimorbidity, mental health diseases, and mixed race. Revaccination was well tolerated by most patients; therefore, we recommend continuing COVID-19 vaccination in the general population. However, long-term studies are needed to understand the autoimmune phenomena arising post-vaccination.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) India (IN) Pomeranian Medical University / Pomorski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Szczecinie (PMU) Poland (PL) Pontifical Xavierian University / Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Colombia (CO) University of São Paulo / Universidade de São Paulo (USP) Brazil (BR) Université Saint-Joseph (USJ) / جامعة القديس يوسف / Սուրբ Ժոզեֆի համալսարան Lebanon (LB) University Hospital St. Ivan Rilski Bulgaria (BG) King's College Hospital (KCH) United Kingdom (GB) Aga Khan University (AKU) / آغا خان یونیورسٹی‎ Pakistan (PK) King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth G.S. Medical College / கிங் எட்வர்ட் நினைவு மருத்துவமனை,राजा एड्वर्ड स्मारक रुग्णालय व सेठ गोवर्धनदास सुंदरदास वैद्यकीय महाविद्यालय India (IN) Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research India (IN) University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) United States (USA) (US) Aleksandrovska University Hospital / университетска болница "Александровска" Bulgaria (BG) Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Government Medical College & Sassoon General Hospital India (IN) Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social Mexico (MX) Maharashtra Institute of Medical Sciences and Research India (IN) Myositis Support and Understanding United States (USA) (US) The Myositis Association United States (USA) (US) Università degli Studi di Pavia Italy (IT) Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) India (IN) Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) Australia (AU) Mayo Clinic United States (USA) (US) Universidad del Norte Colombia (CO) Mymensingh Medical College / ময়মনসিংহ মেডিকেল কলেজ Bangladesh (BD) Karolinska University Hospital / Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Sweden (SE) University of Ghana Ghana (GH) King’s College London United Kingdom (GB) Universitätsspital Zürich (USZ) Switzerland (CH) NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit (LMBRU) United Kingdom (GB) University of Manchester United Kingdom (GB) University of Pittsburgh United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Shumnalieva, R., Ravichandran, N., Hannah, J., Javaid, M., Darooka, N., Roy, D.,... Gupta, L. (2024). Characteristics of emerging new autoimmune diseases after COVID-19 vaccination: A sub-study by the COVAD group. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 27(5). https://doi.org/10.1111/1756-185X.15178

MLA:

Shumnalieva, Russka, et al. "Characteristics of emerging new autoimmune diseases after COVID-19 vaccination: A sub-study by the COVAD group." International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases 27.5 (2024).

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