Notwithstanding the wealth of literature on COVID-19, studies focusing on young adults with autoimmune diseases (AD) are lacking. To determine early (within 7 days) and late (after 7 days) anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related adverse events (AEs), post-vaccine disease flares, COVID-19 severity and breakthrough infections (B-INFs) in young people with rheumatic diseases (RMDs) and non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nr-ADs) compared to healthy controls (HC). Data were captured through the international COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) 1 and 2 questionnaires. Of 20,685 complete responses, we identified 6010 from patients aged 18-35 years (1692 RMD, 400 nrADs, 3918 HC) who received up to 4 vaccine doses. BNT162b2 was the most frequently administered vaccine and prior to vaccination, 7% of people with nrAD were taking immunosuppressants (IS) versus 80% in RMDs. Early mild AEs were more frequent in RMDs (93%) and nr-ADs (92%) compared to HC (85%). The frequency of late mild AEs was < 20% in all groups. Severe AEs were rare. SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were similar across all groups, however, RMD patients reported a single episode of infection more frequently than nrADs and HC, while nrADs reported multiple infections more frequently than RMD. Self-reported disease flares were reported by 10% or RMD and 7% of nrAD patients. Our study reinforces the safety of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine also in young people with ADs, but it also highlights that among young individuals the number and clinical picture of SARS-CoV-2 infections is affected more by the type of AD rather than by coexisting IS therapy.
COVID-19 severity, breakthrough infections and vaccine safety in young individuals with autoimmune diseases: insights from the COVAD study / Alunno, A.; Carubbi, F.; Tan, A. L.; Sen, P.; Cavagna, L.; Joshi, M.; Day, J.; Saha, S.; Gutiérrez, C. E. T.; Caballero-Uribe, C. V.; Distler, O.; Chinoy, H.; Aggarwal, R.; Agarwal, V.; Gupta, L.; Nikiphorou, E.; Nune, A.; Lilleker, J. B.; Pauling, J. D.; Wincup, C.; Gasparyan, A. Y.; Agarwal, V.; Kadam, E.; Barman, B.; Singh, Y. P.; Ranjan, R.; Jain, A.; Pandya, S. C.; Pilania, R. K.; Sharma, A.; Manoj M, M.; Gupta, V.; Kavadichanda, C. G.; Patro, P. S.; Ajmani, S.; Phatak, S.; Goswami, R. P.; Chowdhury, A. C.; Mathew, A. J.; Shenoy, P.; Asranna, A.; Bommakanti, K. T.; Shukla, A.; Pande, A. R.; Gaur, P. S.; Mamadapur, M.; Ghodke, A.; Chandwar, K.; Darooka, N.; Yaadav, P.; Salim, B.; Fazal, Z. Z.; Javaid, M.; Yildrim, R.; Makol, A.; Chatterjee, T.; Patel, A.; Giannini, M.; Maurier, F.; Campagne, J.; Meyer, A.; Del Papa, N.; Sambataro, G.; Fabiola, A.; Govoni, M.; Parisi, S.; Bocci, E. B.; Sebastiani, G. D.; Fusaro, E.; Sebastiani, M.; Quartuccio, L.; Franceschini, F.; Sainaghi, P. P.; Orsolini, G.; De Angelis, R.; Danielli, M. G.; Venerito, V.; Grignaschi, S.; Giollo, A.; Andreoli, L.; Lini, D.; Iannone, F.; Fornaro, M.; Traboco, L. S.; Shaharir, S. S.; Tan, C. L.; Wibowo, S. A. K.; Ramos, A. E. G.; Saavedra, M. A.; Tehozol, E. A. Z.; Serrano, J. R.; La Torre, I. G. D.; Colunga-Pedraza, I. J.; Merayo-Chalico, J.; Aranega, R.; Loarce-Martos, J.; Prieto-González, S.; Shinjo, S. K.; Hoff, L. S.; Kuwana, M.. - In: RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL. - ISSN 1437-160X. - (2024). [10.1007/s00296-024-05654-w]
COVID-19 severity, breakthrough infections and vaccine safety in young individuals with autoimmune diseases: insights from the COVAD study
Sebastiani M.;
2024-01-01
Abstract
Notwithstanding the wealth of literature on COVID-19, studies focusing on young adults with autoimmune diseases (AD) are lacking. To determine early (within 7 days) and late (after 7 days) anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related adverse events (AEs), post-vaccine disease flares, COVID-19 severity and breakthrough infections (B-INFs) in young people with rheumatic diseases (RMDs) and non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nr-ADs) compared to healthy controls (HC). Data were captured through the international COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) 1 and 2 questionnaires. Of 20,685 complete responses, we identified 6010 from patients aged 18-35 years (1692 RMD, 400 nrADs, 3918 HC) who received up to 4 vaccine doses. BNT162b2 was the most frequently administered vaccine and prior to vaccination, 7% of people with nrAD were taking immunosuppressants (IS) versus 80% in RMDs. Early mild AEs were more frequent in RMDs (93%) and nr-ADs (92%) compared to HC (85%). The frequency of late mild AEs was < 20% in all groups. Severe AEs were rare. SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were similar across all groups, however, RMD patients reported a single episode of infection more frequently than nrADs and HC, while nrADs reported multiple infections more frequently than RMD. Self-reported disease flares were reported by 10% or RMD and 7% of nrAD patients. Our study reinforces the safety of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine also in young people with ADs, but it also highlights that among young individuals the number and clinical picture of SARS-CoV-2 infections is affected more by the type of AD rather than by coexisting IS therapy.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.