Should patients with epilepsy be vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Epilepsy Behav 2022;
134:108822. [PMID:
35853315 PMCID:
PMC9239978 DOI:
10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108822]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage, willingness, and safety profiles in patients with epilepsy remain poorly understood. We aimed to summarize the available evidence of COVID-19 vaccination coverage, willingness, and safety profiles among patients with epilepsy.
METHODS
We performed a literature search in the Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register database between 1 January 2020 and 30 April 2022. We included eligible studies that provided information on the COVID-19 vaccination coverage, willingness, and safety profiles among patients with epilepsy. We investigated the association between baseline characteristics of patients with epilepsy and unvaccination status using a fixed-effect model. We calculated the pooled overall willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We systematically reviewed the safety profiles after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with epilepsy.
RESULTS
Ten eligible observational studies and two case reports yielded 2589 participants with epilepsy or their caregivers. Among 2145 participants that provided the information of vaccination status, 1508 (70.3%) patients with epilepsy were not administered COVID-19 vaccine, and 58% (95%CI 40-75%) of respondents were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Seizure status (active versus inactive, OR 1.84 95%CI 1.41-2.39, I2 = 0%) rather than seizure type (focal versus non-focal, OR 1.22 95%CI 0.94-1.58, I2 = 0%) was associated with COVID-19 unvaccination status. Vaccines were well-tolerated; epilepsy-related problems such as increase in seizure frequency and status epilepticus after COVID-19 vaccination were uncommon.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest a low COVID-19 vaccination coverage and willingness in patients with epilepsy. Vaccination against COVID-19 appears to be well-tolerated and safe in patients with epilepsy, supporting a positive outlook toward vaccination in this population.
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