A systematic review of cases of CNS demyelination following COVID-19 vaccination. 2022

Ismail Ibrahim Ismail, and Sara Salama
Department of Neurology, Ibn Sina Hospital, Kuwait. Electronic address: dr.ismail.ibrahim2012@gmail.com.

Since the emergency use approval of different types of COVID-19 vaccines, several safety concerns have been raised regarding its early and delayed impact on the nervous system. This study aims to systematically review the reported cases of CNS demyelination in association with COVID-19 vaccination, which has not been performed, to our knowledge. A systematic review was performed by screening published articles and preprints of cases of CNS demyelination in association with COVID-19 vaccines in PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Ovid and medRxiv databases, until September 30, 2021. This study followed PRISMA guidelines. Descriptive findings of reported cases were reviewed and stratified by demographic and clinical findings, diagnostic work-up, management, and overall outcome. A total of 32 cases were identified, with female predominance (68.8%) and median age of 44 years. Eleven cases were reported after Pfizer vaccine, 8 following AstraZeneca vaccine, 6 following Moderna, 5 following Sinovac/ Sinopharm vaccines, and one following each of Sputnik and Johnson&Johnson vaccines. The majority of cases (71.8%) occurred after the first dose of the vaccine, with neurological symptoms manifesting after a median of 9 days. The most common reported presentations were transverse myelitis (12/32) and MS-like pictures (first diagnosis or a relapse) in another 12/32 cases, followed by ADEM- like (5/32), and NMOSD- like (3/32) presentations. History of a previous immune-mediated disease was reported in 17/32 (53.1%) cases. The mRNA-based vaccines resulted in the greatest number of demyelinating syndromes (17/32), followed by viral vector vaccines (10/32), and inactivated vaccines (5/32). Most MS-like episodes (9/12) were triggered by mRNA-based vaccines, while TM occurred following both viral vector and mRNA-based vaccines. Management included high dose methylprednisolone, PLEX, IVIg, or a combination of those, with a favorable outcome in the majority of case; marked/complete improvement (25/32) or stabilized/ partial recovery in the remaining cases. This systematic review identified few cases of CNS demyelination following all types of approved COVID-19 vaccines so far. Clinical presentation was heterogenous, mainly following the first dose, however, half of the reported cases had a history of immune-mediated disease. Favorable outcome was observed in most cases. We suggest long-term post-marketing surveillance for these cases, to assess for causality, and ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000086382 COVID-19 A viral disorder generally characterized by high FEVER; COUGH; DYSPNEA; CHILLS; PERSISTENT TREMOR; MUSCLE PAIN; HEADACHE; SORE THROAT; a new loss of taste and/or smell (see AGEUSIA and ANOSMIA) and other symptoms of a VIRAL PNEUMONIA. In severe cases, a myriad of coagulopathy associated symptoms often correlating with COVID-19 severity is seen (e.g., BLOOD COAGULATION; THROMBOSIS; ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME; SEIZURES; HEART ATTACK; STROKE; multiple CEREBRAL INFARCTIONS; KIDNEY FAILURE; catastrophic ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY SYNDROME and/or DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION). In younger patients, rare inflammatory syndromes are sometimes associated with COVID-19 (e.g., atypical KAWASAKI SYNDROME; TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME; pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease; and CYTOKINE STORM SYNDROME). A coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the genus BETACORONAVIRUS is the causative agent. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease,2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection,2019-nCoV Disease,2019-nCoV Infection,COVID-19 Pandemic,COVID-19 Pandemics,COVID-19 Virus Disease,COVID-19 Virus Infection,Coronavirus Disease 2019,Coronavirus Disease-19,SARS Coronavirus 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infection,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection,COVID19,2019 nCoV Disease,2019 nCoV Infection,2019-nCoV Diseases,2019-nCoV Infections,COVID 19,COVID 19 Pandemic,COVID 19 Virus Disease,COVID 19 Virus Infection,COVID-19 Virus Diseases,COVID-19 Virus Infections,Coronavirus Disease 19,Disease 2019, Coronavirus,Disease, 2019-nCoV,Disease, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, 2019-nCoV,Infection, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, SARS-CoV-2,Pandemic, COVID-19,SARS CoV 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infections,Virus Disease, COVID-19,Virus Infection, COVID-19
D000086402 SARS-CoV-2 A species of BETACORONAVIRUS causing atypical respiratory disease (COVID-19) in humans. The organism was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. The natural host is the Chinese intermediate horseshoe bat, RHINOLOPHUS affinis. 2019 Novel Coronavirus,COVID-19 Virus,COVID19 Virus,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus,SARS Coronavirus 2,SARS-CoV-2 Virus,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2,Wuhan Coronavirus,Wuhan Seafood Market Pneumonia Virus,2019-nCoV,2019 Novel Coronaviruses,COVID 19 Virus,COVID-19 Viruses,COVID19 Viruses,Coronavirus 2, SARS,Coronavirus, 2019 Novel,Coronavirus, Wuhan,Novel Coronavirus, 2019,SARS CoV 2 Virus,SARS-CoV-2 Viruses,Virus, COVID-19,Virus, COVID19,Virus, SARS-CoV-2,Viruses, COVID19
D000086663 COVID-19 Vaccines Vaccines or candidate vaccines containing SARS-CoV-2 component antigens, genetic materials, or inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus, and designed to prevent COVID-19. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Vaccine,2019 Novel Coronavirus Vaccines,2019-nCoV Vaccine,2019-nCoV Vaccines,COVID 19 Vaccine,COVID-19 Vaccine,COVID-19 Virus Vaccine,COVID-19 Virus Vaccines,COVID19 Vaccine,COVID19 Vaccines,COVID19 Virus Vaccine,COVID19 Virus Vaccines,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccines,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus Vaccine,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus Vaccines,Coronavirus Disease-19 Vaccine,Coronavirus Disease-19 Vaccines,SARS Coronavirus 2 Vaccines,SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine,SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines,SARS2 Vaccine,SARS2 Vaccines,2019 nCoV Vaccine,2019 nCoV Vaccines,COVID 19 Vaccines,COVID 19 Virus Vaccine,COVID 19 Virus Vaccines,Coronavirus Disease 19 Vaccine,Coronavirus Disease 19 Vaccines,SARS CoV 2 Vaccine,SARS CoV 2 Vaccines,Vaccine, 2019-nCoV,Vaccine, COVID 19,Vaccine, COVID-19,Vaccine, COVID-19 Virus,Vaccine, COVID19,Vaccine, COVID19 Virus,Vaccine, Coronavirus Disease-19,Vaccine, SARS-CoV-2,Vaccine, SARS2,Vaccines, 2019-nCoV,Vaccines, COVID-19,Vaccines, COVID-19 Virus,Vaccines, COVID19,Vaccines, COVID19 Virus,Vaccines, Coronavirus Disease-19,Vaccines, SARS-CoV-2,Vaccines, SARS2,Virus Vaccine, COVID-19,Virus Vaccine, COVID19,Virus Vaccines, COVID-19,Virus Vaccines, COVID19
D020278 Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS Conditions characterized by loss or dysfunction of myelin (see MYELIN SHEATH) in the brain, spinal cord, or optic nerves secondary to autoimmune mediated processes. This may take the form of a humoral or cellular immune response directed toward myelin or OLIGODENDROGLIA associated autoantigens. Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases, Central Nervous System,Spinal Cord Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases,Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases, CNS,Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases, Cerebral,Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases, Spinal Cord,Autoimmune Demyelinating Disorders, CNS,Autoimmune Diseases, Demyelinating, Brain,Brain Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases,CNS Autoimmune Demyelinating Disorders,CNS Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases,Cerebral Demyelinating Diseases, Autoimmune,Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, Brain,Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, Central Nervous System,Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, Cerebral,Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, Spinal Cord,Demyelinating Autoimmune Disorders, CNS,Demyelinating Disease, Autoimmune, CNS

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