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Roytenberg R, García-Sastre A, Li W. Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia: what do we know hitherto? Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1155727. [PMID: 37261122 PMCID: PMC10227460 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1155727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), also known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, is a catastrophic and life-threatening reaction to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, which occurs disproportionately in response to vaccination with non-replicating adenovirus vector (AV) vaccines. The mechanism of VITT is not well defined and it has not been resolved why cases of VITT are predominated by vaccination with AV vaccines. However, virtually all VITT patients have positive platelet-activating anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibody titers. Subsequently, platelets are activated and depleted in an Fcγ-receptor IIa (FcγRIIa or CD32a)-dependent manner, but it is not clear why or how the anti-PF4 response is mounted. This review describes the pathogenesis of VITT and provides insight into possible mechanisms that prompt the formation of a PF4/polyanion complex, which drives VITT pathology, as an amalgam of current experimental data or hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renat Roytenberg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
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Taieb A, Mounira EE. Pilot Findings on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced Pituitary Diseases: A Mini Review from Diagnosis to Pathophysiology. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10122004. [PMID: 36560413 PMCID: PMC9786744 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2019, a massive vaccination campaign has been undertaken rapidly and worldwide. Like other vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine is not devoid of side effects. Typically, the adverse side effects of vaccination include transient headache, fever, and myalgia. Endocrine organs are also affected by adverse effects. The major SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-associated endocrinopathies reported since the beginning of the vaccination campaign are thyroid and pancreas disorders. SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced pituitary diseases have become more frequently described in the literature. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE for commentaries, case reports, and case series articles reporting pituitary disorders following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The search was reiterated until September 2022, in which eight case reports were found. In all the cases, there were no personal or familial history of pituitary disease described. All the patients described had no previous SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to the vaccination episode. Regarding the type of vaccines administered, 50% of the patients received (BNT162b2; Pfizer-BioNTech) and 50% received (ChAdOx1 nCov-19; AstraZeneca). In five cases, the pituitary disorder developed after the first dose of the corresponding vaccine. Regarding the types of pituitary disorder, five were hypophysitis (variable clinical aspects ranging from pituitary lesion to pituitary stalk thickness) and three were pituitary apoplexy. The time period between vaccination and pituitary disorder ranged from one to seven days. Depending on each case's follow-up time, a complete remission was obtained in all the apoplexy cases but in only three patients with hypophysitis (persistence of the central diabetes insipidus). Both quantity and quality of the published data about pituitary inconveniences after COVID-19 vaccination are limited. Pituitary disorders, unlike thyroid disorders, occur very quickly after COVID-19 vaccination (less than seven days for pituitary disorders versus two months for thyroid disease). This is partially explained by the ease of reaching the pituitary, which is a small gland. Therefore, this gland is rapidly overspread, which explains the speed of onset of pituitary symptoms (especially ADH deficiency which is a rapid onset deficit with evocative symptoms). Accordingly, these pilot findings offer clinicians a future direction to be vigilant for possible pituitary adverse effects of vaccination. This will allow them to accurately orient patients for medical assistance when they present with remarkable symptoms, such as asthenia, polyuro-polydipsia, or severe headache, following a COVID-19 vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ach Taieb
- Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Farhat Hached Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Exercice Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia
- Correspondence:
| | - El Euch Mounira
- Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Charles Nicoles, Tunis 4074, Tunisia
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Danis F, Rabani AE, Subhani F, Yasmin S, Koul SS. COVID‐19: Vaccine‐induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). Eur J Haematol 2022; 109:619-632. [PMID: 36030503 PMCID: PMC9538855 DOI: 10.1111/ejh.13855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Salman Shafi Koul
- Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Ibn‐e‐Sina Road, G‐8/3 G 8/3 G‐8 Islamabad Pakistan
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Kanack AJ, Singh B, George G, Gundabolu K, Koepsell SA, Abou‐Ismail MY, Moser KA, Smock KJ, Green D, Major A, Chan CW, Wool GD, Reding M, Ashrani AA, Bayas A, Grill DE, Padmanabhan A. Persistence of Ad26.COV2.S-associated vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) and specific detection of VITT antibodies. Am J Hematol 2022; 97:519-526. [PMID: 35132672 PMCID: PMC8986571 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.26488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Rare cases of COVID‐19 vaccinated individuals develop anti‐platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies that cause thrombocytopenia and thrombotic complications, a syndrome referred to as vaccine‐induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). Currently, information on the characteristics and persistence of anti‐PF4 antibodies that cause VITT after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination is limited, and available diagnostic assays fail to differentiate Ad26.COV2.S and ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19‐associated VITT from similar clinical disorders, namely heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and spontaneous HIT. Here we demonstrate that while Ad26.COV2.S‐associated VITT patients are uniformly strongly positive in PF4‐polyanion enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs); they are frequently negative in the serotonin release assay (SRA). The PF4‐dependent p‐selectin expression assay (PEA) that uses platelets treated with PF4 rather than heparin consistently diagnosed Ad26.COV2.S‐associated VITT. Most Ad26.COV2.S‐associated VITT antibodies persisted for >5 months in PF4‐polyanion ELISAs, while the PEA became negative earlier. Two patients had otherwise unexplained mild persistent thrombocytopenia (140‐150 x 103/µL) 6 months after acute presentation. From an epidemiological perspective, differentiating VITT from spontaneous HIT, another entity that develops in the absence of proximate heparin exposure, and HIT is important, but currently available PF4‐polyanion ELISAs and functional assay are non‐specific and detect all three conditions. Here, we report that a novel un‐complexed PF4 ELISA specifically differentiates VITT, secondary to both Ad26.COV2.S and ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19, from both spontaneous HIT, HIT and commonly‐encountered HIT‐suspected patients who are PF4/polyanion ELISA‐positive but negative in functional assays. In summary, Ad26.COV2.S‐associated VITT antibodies are persistent, and the un‐complexed PF4 ELISA appears to be both sensitive and specific for VITT diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Kanack
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA
| | - Bandana Singh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA
| | - Gemlyn George
- Department of Medicine University of Colorado Aurora Colorado USA
| | - Krishna Gundabolu
- Department of Internal Medicine University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha Nebraska USA
| | - Scott A. Koepsell
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha Nebraska USA
| | | | - Karen A. Moser
- Department of Pathology University of Utah Health Sciences Center and ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology Salt Lake City Utah USA
| | - Kristi J. Smock
- Department of Pathology University of Utah Health Sciences Center and ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology Salt Lake City Utah USA
| | - David Green
- Department of Medicine NYU Langone Health New York New York USA
| | - Ajay Major
- Department of Medicine University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Clarence W. Chan
- Department of Pathology University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Geoffrey D. Wool
- Department of Pathology University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Mark Reding
- Department of Medicine University of Minnesota Medical Center Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | | | - Antonios Bayas
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology University Hospital of Augsburg Augsburg Germany
| | - Diane E. Grill
- Department of Health Sciences Research Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA
| | - Anand Padmanabhan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA
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Toh CH, Wang G, Parker AL. The aetiopathogenesis of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia. Clin Med (Lond) 2022; 22:140-144. [PMID: 38589175 PMCID: PMC8966812 DOI: 10.7861/clinmed.2022-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In the new science emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic, effective vaccine development has made a huge difference and saved countless lives. Vaccine roll-out led to the identification of rare cases of severe thrombotic and thrombocytopenic problems in some recipients. This apparent coupling of thrombosis with haemorrhagic potentiation might seem baffling but the ensuing clinical investigation rapidly shed important light on its molecular mechanism. This review outlines the current understanding on the role of adenovirus-based platforms, the immunogenic triggers and the immunothrombotic response underlying vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia.
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Antibodies against Platelet Factor 4 and Their Associated Pathologies: From HIT/HITT to Spontaneous HIT-Like Syndrome, to COVID-19, to VITT/TTS. Antibodies (Basel) 2022; 11:antib11010007. [PMID: 35225866 PMCID: PMC8883896 DOI: 10.3390/antib11010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies against platelet factor 4 (PF4), a protein released from alpha-granules of activated platelets, may cause a number of pathophysiological conditions. The most commonly known is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), which develops in a small proportion of people treated with the anticoagulant drug heparin. Notably, PF4 binds with high affinity to heparin, and in HIT, complexes of PF4/H may, in a small proportion of susceptible patients, trigger the development of anti-PF4 antibodies and subsequent platelet activation and aggregation, ultimately leading to the development of pathological thrombosis at sites of vessel occlusion. Of more modern interest, antibodies against PF4 may also arise in patients with COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) or in patients who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, especially in recipients of adenovirus-based vaccines. For this latter group of patients, the terms VITT (vaccine-induced [immune] thrombotic thrombocytopenia) and TTS (thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome) have been coined. Another category associated with this pathophysiology comprises those in whom a precipitating event is not clear; this category is referred to as ‘spontaneous HIT-like syndrome’. Despite its name, it arises as an HIT-mimicking disorder but without antecedent heparin exposure. In this narrative review, we describe the development of antibodies against PF4, and associated pathophysiology, in such conditions.
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Asif S, Kesireddy M, Koepsell SA, Gonzalez-Castellon MA, Gundabolu K, Baljevic M. Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis due to Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Following Ad26.COV2.S: A First Real-World Case Report of a Male Subject. Neurohospitalist 2021; 12:346-351. [PMID: 35419151 PMCID: PMC8995617 DOI: 10.1177/19418744211055065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) or Vaccine-induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) had been reported in patients receiving the Ad26.COV2.S vaccination (Johnson & Johnson [J&J]/Janssen) vaccine. They frequently presented with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), but venous or arterial thrombosis at other locations can be present. The majority of those affected are younger adult females. Therefore, after a brief pause from April 13–23, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended caution in using this vaccine in females under 50 years. Based on the reported 28 cases of TTS after this vaccination (data till April 21, 2021) by CDC, 22 were females (78%), and 6 were male. None of those males had CVST but had thrombosis at other locations. We report the first case of a young male with TTS and CVST following Ad26.COV2.S vaccine presented with severe headache and diagnosed with acute right transverse and sigmoid cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, multiple right-sided pulmonary emboli, and right hepatic vein thrombosis. He was treated with parenteral anticoagulation with argatroban and intravenous immune globulin with the improvement of his symptoms. A heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis (HITT) like syndrome caused by the genesis of a platelet-activating autoantibody against platelet factor 4 (PF4) triggered by adenoviral vector-based COVID-19 vaccinations is understood to be the underlying pathophysiology. TTS with CVST should be considered when patients present with headaches, stroke-like neurological symptoms, thrombocytopenia, and symptom onset 6–15 days after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samia Asif
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Meghana Kesireddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Scott A. Koepsell
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Krishna Gundabolu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Muhamed Baljevic
- Department of Internal Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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