First Report of Two Cases of Löfgren's Syndrome after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination-Coincidence or Causality?

New-Onset Rheumatic Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations until May 2023: A Systematic Review

A comprehensive, up-to-date systematic review (SR) of the new-onset rheumatic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (R-IMIDs) following COVID-19 vaccinations is lacking. Therefore, we investigated the demographics, management, and prognosis of new R-IMIDs in adults following SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. A systematic literature search of Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, LitCovid, and Cochrane was conducted. We included any English-language study that reported new-onset R-IMID in adults following the post-COVID-19 vaccination. A total of 271 cases were reported from 39 countries between January 2021 and May 2023. The mean age of patients was 56 (range 18-90), and most were females (170, 62.5%). Most (153, 56.5%) received the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 50% of patients developed R-IMID after the second dose of the vaccine. Vasculitis was the most prevalent clinical presentation (86, 31.7%), followed by connective tissue disease (66, 24.3%). The mean duration between the vaccine's 'trigger' dose and R-IMID was 11 days. Most (220, 81.2%) received corticosteroids; however, 42% (115) received DMARDs such as methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, tocilizumab, anakinra, IV immunoglobulins, plasma exchange, or rituximab. Complete remission was achieved in 75 patients (27.7%), and 137 (50.6%) improved following the treatment. Two patients died due to myositis. This SR highlights that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines may trigger R-IMID; however, further epidemiology studies are required.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease and COVID

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) is a rare multisystem inflammatory disease affecting the eyes, ears, brain, skin, and hair. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new contagious infection that might trigger the onset of VKH disease, as previously proposed for other viruses. Moreover, after the mass vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 worldwide, cases of VKH disease associated with COVID-19 vaccination have been reported. We present an overview of VKH and a comprehensive literature revision of all the VKH cases described after COVID-19 infection and vaccination, adding our experience. No differences have been found considering epidemiology and clinical findings of the disease compared to those reported in the no-COVID era. All of the patients promptly responded to systemic and local corticosteroid therapy with a good final visual prognosis. Different possible pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the onset of VKH after COVID-19 vaccination are discussed, while the presence of the HLA DR4 antigen as a genetic predisposition for the onset of the disease after COVID-19 infection and vaccination is proposed. VKH disease is one of the most frequently reported uveitic entities after COVID-19 vaccination, but a good response to therapy should not discourage vaccination. Nevertheless, ophthalmologists should be alerted to the possibility of VKH occurrence or relapse after COVID-19 vaccination, especially in genetically predisposed subjects.

Initial behaviors and attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine in sarcoidosis patients: results of a self-reporting questionnaire

BACKGROUND

Individuals with self-declared sarcoidosis are at increased risk of COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality for which vaccination can be lifesaving. Despite this, vaccine hesitancy remains a large barrier to global acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19. We aimed to identify individuals with sarcoidosis who had and had not been vaccinated against COVID-19 vaccine to 1) establish a safety profile of COVID-19 vaccination in those with sarcoidosis and 2) to elucidate factors that contribute to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

METHODS

A questionnaire inquiring about COVID-19 vaccination status, vaccination side effects, and willingness for future vaccination was distributed from December 2020 to May 2021 to individuals with sarcoidosis living in the US and European countries. Details regarding sarcoidosis manifestations and treatment were solicited. Vaccine attitudes were classified as pro or anti-COVID-19 vaccination for subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

At the time of questionnaire administration, 42% of respondents had already received a COVID-19 vaccination, most of whom either denied side effects or reported a local reaction only. Those off sarcoidosis therapy were more likely to report systemic side effects. Among subjects who had not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, 27% of individuals reported they would not receive one once available. Reasons against vaccination were overwhelmingly related to the lack of confidence in vaccine safety and/or efficacy and less related to concerns associated with convenience or complacency. Black individuals, women, and younger adults were more likely to decline vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Among individuals with sarcoidosis, COVID-19 vaccination is well-accepted and well-tolerated. Subjects on sarcoidosis therapy reported significantly less vaccination side effects, and thus the correlation between side effects, vaccine type, and vaccine efficacy requires further investigation. Strategies to improve vaccination should focus on improving knowledge and education regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, as well as targeting sources of misinformation, particularly in young, black, and female subpopulations.

Cutaneous Sarcoidosis-like Eruption Following Second Dose of Moderna mRNA-1273 Vaccine: Case or Relationship?

Various adverse reactions to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been described since the first months of the vaccination campaign. In addition to more frequent reactions, rare reactions, such as sarcoidosis-like, rashes have been reported. We present a case of a 23-year-old woman with a rash on the chin and peribuccal region, which developed approximately 3 weeks after the administration of the second dose of the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine. We briefly discuss other reports in the literature.

First reported case of erythrodermic sarcoidosis with systemic involvement during vaccination for Covid-19

Post-vaccinal and parainfectious activation of the immunity with subsequent development of a certain immunological/skin-immunological disease isn’t rare in the clinical practice. This concept is mentioned in relation to molecular/antigenic mimicry. To this day, the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis and sarcoid-type reactions remains a mystery. Moreover, they can be a warning sign of changes in tissue homeostasis, whether it is infectious, non-infectious-immunological, tumor-related, etc. We present a rare form of erythrodermic sarcoidosis with massive systemic involvement (pericarditis, supraventricular tachycardia, hepatitis, iritis/iridocyclitis, pulmonary fibrosis/bihilar lymphadenopathy, and arthritis) developed after receiving the ChadOx1-S vaccine for Covid-19. Systemic immunosuppressive therapy with Methylprednisolone was introduced according to a scheme (in a reduction mode with an initial dose of 40 mg/day intravenously) in combination with: topical Pimecrolimus 1% cream twice a day. Rapid improvement of the symptoms was observed within the first two days of treatment. According to the references in the scientific literature, the presented patient turns out to be the first case of erythrodermic sarcoidosis (with systemic involvement), described as a side effect after vaccination and/or administration of a certain medicinal form.

Unmasking sarcoidosis following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: A case report

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory and granulomatous disorder, developed due to dysregulation between immune response and certain environmental antigens. We hereby report an interesting case of sarcoidosis following COVID-19 vaccination (COVIran Barekat), which presented with inflammation of previous tattoo sites as well as the development of erythema nodosum and systemic lymphadenopathy, suggested a possible link between the COVID vaccination and dysregulation of the inflammatory process and served as a reminder for clinicians to have enough vigilance before proposing a vaccine booster to these patients.

A Novel Development of Sarcoidosis Following COVID-19 Vaccination and a Literature Review

BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) is a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine containing nucleoside-modified messenger RNA encoding the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike glycoprotein. Recently, ocular complications of mRNA vaccines have been reported increasingly frequently. However, immunological adverse events due to mRNA vaccines in real-world settings are not fully known. We herein report the novel development of sarcoidosis manifested as uveitis, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, angiotensin-converting enzyme elevation, and epithelioid and giant cell granuloma formation in the lung soon after the first BNT162b2 injection and review the current literature, including three reported cases of sarcoid-like reaction following COVID-19 vaccination.

Autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions after COVID-19 vaccination. New case reports and updated literature review

Autoimmunity linked to COVID-19 immunization has been recorded throughout the pandemic. Herein we present six new patients who experienced relapses of previous autoimmune disease (AD) or developed a new autoimmune or autoinflammatory condition following vaccination. In addition, we documented additional cases through a systematic review of the literature up to August 1st, 2022, in which 464 studies (928 cases) were included. The majority of patients (53.6%) were women, with a median age of 48 years (IQR: 34 to 66). The median period between immunization and the start of symptoms was eight days (IQR: 3 to 14). New-onset conditions were observed in 81.5% (n: 756) of the cases. The most common diseases associated with new-onset events following vaccination were immune thrombocytopenia, myocarditis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. In contrast, immune thrombocytopenia, psoriasis, IgA nephropathy, and systemic lupus erythematosus were the most common illnesses associated with relapsing episodes (18.5%, n: 172). The first dosage was linked with new-onset events (69.8% vs. 59.3%, P = 0.0100), whereas the second dose was related to relapsing disease (29.5% vs. 59.3%, P = 0.0159). New-onset conditions and relapsing diseases were more common in women (51.5% and 62.9%, respectively; P = 0.0081). The groups were evenly balanced in age. No deaths were recorded after the disease relapsed, while 4.7% of patients with new-onset conditions died (P = 0.0013). In conclusion, there may be an association between COVID-19 vaccination and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Some ADs seem to be more common than others. Vaccines and SARS-CoV-2 may induce autoimmunity through similar mechanisms. Large, well-controlled studies are warranted to validate this relationship and assess additional variables such as genetic and other environmental factors.

Reactivation of adult-onset Still’s disease after use of the COVID-19 ChAdOx1-S vaccine

A woman in her 60s with a history of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) in remission for 14 years received the ChAdOx1-S vaccine as a booster to her initial vaccination schedule (two doses of CoronaVac vaccine 6 months apart). Two weeks later, she consulted for symptoms suggestive of AOSD reactivation. This was confirmed during hospitalisation, where renal and cardiac involvement were also observed. Despite using high-dose corticosteroids, troponin T and N-terminal pro hormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were persistently elevated. Tocilizumab was used, with which the patient achieved complete remission of her symptoms and normalised her laboratory tests.

Current Evidence in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines and Post-Vaccination Adverse Reports: Knowns and Unknowns

The novel mRNA vaccinations against COVID-19 are gaining worldwide attention for their potential efficacy, as well as for the diagnosis of some post-vaccination-reported adverse reactions. In this state-of-the-art review article, we present the current evidence regarding mainly the diagnosis of spontaneous allergic reactions, the skin occurrences, the vascular, blood, endocrine and heart events, the respiratory reports, the gastrointestinal, hepatic and kidney events, the reproductive and pregnancy issues and the muscle events, as well as the ear, eye, neurologic and psychiatric events following mRNA vaccination against COVID-19. We further present some evidence regarding the mRNA strategies, we provide important information for side effects associated with the spike protein based LNP-mRNA vaccine and its adjuvants, as well as evidence for all the possible dangerous roles of the spike protein, and we discuss our expert opinion on the knowns and the unknowns towards the topic.

Manifestation of Subclinical Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis after COVID-19 Vaccination as Supraclavicular Lymphadenopathy

Lymphadenopathy after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is a common side effect that usually resolves within several days to weeks, and only observation is recommended. However, for prolonged lymphadenopathy, other possibilities, including malignancy or other lymphoproliferative diseases, may be considered. Herein, we report the case of a 66-year-old woman who experienced prolonged ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node enlargement after the second dose of the ChAdOx1 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) COVID-19 vaccine, which was eventually diagnosed as extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Sarcoidosis presenting as bilateral optic neuritis after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination

Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic granulomatous disease and can virtually affect any organ system. Multiple factors, including tubercular antigens organic and environmental exposures, have been implicated in its pathogenesis. In addition to drugs, sarcoid-like reactions have been reported following varicella and influenza vaccination. Few reports of erythema nodosum and Lofgren syndrome have been reported after the COVID19 vaccination, though no histologic diagnosis was pursued in these cases. We herein report a case of sarcoidosis presenting with bilateral acute onset vision loss with a temporal association with COVID19 vaccination (ChadOx-1 n-COV, COVISHIELDTM). Symptoms started within two weeks of receiving the vaccine. Alternate causes for optic neuritis were excluded. Transbronchial lung biopsy showed the presence of non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas. The patient received high-dose corticosteroids immediately after diagnosis, albeit with incomplete clinical improvement in vision on a three-month follow-up. In conclusion, we report a novel case of sarcoidosis-related optic neuritis following COVID19 vaccination.

Erythema nodosum induced by Covid-19 Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine: A case report and brief literature review

Erythema nodosum (EN), the most common form of panniculitis, is a reactive inflammation of the subcutaneous fat clinically presented with a sudden onset of painful, erythematous, nodular, subcutaneous lesions, typically localized to the pretibial area. EN is commonly caused by numerous infections (especially beta-haemolytic streptococcal infections), autoimmune diseases (sarcoidosis), inflammatory bowel conditions and drugs. EN induced by Covid-19 vaccines is rarely reported. We describe an original clinical observation of a 75-year-old woman who presented with EN after receiving the second dose of BNT162b2, an mRNA vaccine.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Temporally after COVID-19 Vaccination

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most dramatic pandemic of the new millennium. To counter it, specific vaccines have been launched in record time under emergency use authorization or conditional marketing authorization and have been subjected to additional monitoring. The European Medicines Agency recommend reporting any suspected adverse reactions during this additional monitoring phase. For the first time in the available medical literature, we report a left cubital tunnel syndrome in a 28-year-old right-handed healthy male after seven days from the first dose of Spikevax^® (formerly Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine). Histochemistry for Alcian Blue performed on the tissue harvested from the cubital site reveals myxoid degeneration of the small nerve collaterals, a clear sign of nerve injury. It still remains unclear why the syndrome occurs in a localized and not generalized form to all osteofibrous tunnels. Today, modified messenger ribonucleic acid vaccines as Spikevax^® represent an avantgarde technological platform with a lot of potential, but one which needs careful monitoring in order to identify in advance those patients who may experience adverse events after their administration.

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine-Associated Uveitis Leading to Diagnosis of Sarcoidosis: Case Report and Review of Literature

A 34-year-old Japanese person with male gender identity who had been taking intramuscular injection of methyltestosterone depot for 11 years after bilateral mastectomy noticed blurred vision 5 days after the second vaccination for COVID-19 (Tozinameran; Pfizer-BioNTech) in the interval of 3 weeks following the first vaccination. The patient was diagnosed as granulomatous iritis with mutton-fat keratic precipitates and small iris nodules at the pupillary margin in the right eye and began to have 0.1% betamethasone eye drops with good response. The patient, however, continued to have fever and malaise and showed a high level of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) even 4 weeks after the second vaccination. Computed tomographic scan disclosed mediastinal and bilateral hilar small lymphadenopathy together with limited granular lesion in the right lung. Gallium-67 scintigraphy demonstrated high uptake not only in mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes but also in bilateral parotid glands. Right parotid gland biopsy revealed noncaseating granulomas and proved pathological diagnosis of sarcoidosis. The systemic symptoms were relieved by oral prednisolone 20 mg daily. Even though the causal relationship remains undetermined, this case is unique at the point that vaccine-associated uveitis led to the detection of pulmonary lesions and lymphadenopathy, resulting in clinical and pathological diagnosis of sarcoidosis. In literature review, 3 patients showed sarcoidosis-like diseases after COVID-19 vaccination: 2 patients were diagnosed clinically as Lofgren syndrome with acute onset of erythema nodosum and ankle swelling, with or without mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy, whereas 1 patient with mediastinal lymphadenopathy but no uveitis was diagnosed pathologically by biopsy as sarcoidosis.