The association between acute transverse myelitis and COVID-19 vaccination in Korea
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.70020
Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) has been reported as a potential association between COVID-19 vaccination.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38350768/
Results
368 ATM cases diagnosed after first COVID-19 vaccination during the study period (159 ATM patients were included).
Among them, 82 (51.6%) were male
The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 2.41,
for the ATM risk within 1–42 days after COVID-19 vaccination.
The IRR (Incidence Rate Ratio)
3.31 for ChAdOx1-S (AZ)
1.99 for BNT162b2 (Pfizer)
2.57 for mRNA-1273 (Moderna)
3.33 for Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen)
Methods
A self-controlled case series study
https://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i4515
Large database that combines the COVID-19 vaccine registry and the national claims database.
The COVID-19 vaccination
Data, information on individuals aged 18 + who received COVID-19 vaccination from February 26, 2021, to August 31, 2022.
Patients who developed acute transverse myelitis
The claims database covered the entire Korean population
Patients who develop ATM within 1–42 days following COVID-19 vaccination
The observation period was 270 days after the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Conclusion
These findings indicated an increased risk of ATM following COVID-19 vaccination within 42 days.
An association with the risk of ATM was found both for viral vector and mRNA vaccines.
Acute transverse myelitis (ATM)
A rare neurological disorder
Inflammation of the spinal cord
Can lead to sensory and motor deficits, paralysis, severe disability, autonomic loss
The causes of ATM are uncertain; however, it is known to be associated with autoimmunity triggered by various environmental factors, including vaccination.
DISCUSSION
This nationwide population-based SCCS study identified a significant increase in the incidence of ATM within 1–42 days following COVID-19 vaccination.
Our findings contribute to the ongoing debate on the safety profiles of COVID-19 vaccines by providing evidence of potential neurological complications.
An emerging pattern
Neurological complications after first dose of COVID-19 vaccines and SARS-CoV-2 infection
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/servlet/linkout?suffix=null&dbid=8&doi=10.1111%2Fene.70020&key=34697502&getFTLinkType=true&doiForPubOfPage=10.1111%2Fene.70020&refDoi=10.1038%2Fs41591-021-01556-7&linkType=PMID&linkSource=FULL_TEXT&linkLocation=Reference
Emerging reports of rare neurological complications associated with COVID-19 infection and vaccinations are leading to regulatory, clinical and public health concerns.
Acute Transverse Myelitis after COVID-19 Vaccination
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34684047/#full-view-affiliation-1
The adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine have been discovered as the rapid application of the vaccines continues. Neurological complications such as transverse myelitis raise concerns as cases were observed in clinical trials.
Overview of Transverse Myelitis after COVID-19 vaccination
https://www.lareb.nl/Knowledge/FilePreview?id=42797&p=33550
Until January 16th 2023, The Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre received 48 reports of TM following COVID-19 vaccination.
Neurological side effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/servlet/linkout?suffix=null&dbid=8&doi=10.1111%2Fene.70020&key=34750810&getFTLinkType=true&doiForPubOfPage=10.1111%2Fene.70020&refDoi=10.1111%2Fane.13550&linkType=PMID&linkSource=FULL_TEXT&linkLocation=Reference
The most frequent neurological side effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are headache, Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), venous sinus thrombosis (VST), and transverse myelitis.
A systematic review of cases of CNS demyelination following COVID-19 vaccination
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/servlet/linkout?suffix=null&dbid=8&doi=10.1111%2Fene.70020&key=34839149&getFTLinkType=true&doiForPubOfPage=10.1111%2Fene.70020&refDoi=10.1016%2Fj.jneuroim.2021.577765&linkType=PMID&linkSource=FULL_TEXT&linkLocation=Reference
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 presentation was transverse myelitis
Transverse Myelitis Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: A Pharmacoepidemiological Study in the World Health Organization’s Database
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/servlet/linkout?suffix=null&dbid=8&doi=10.1111%2Fene.70020&key=36054163&getFTLinkType=true&doiForPubOfPage=10.1111%2Fene.70020&refDoi=10.1002%2Fana.26494&linkType=PMID&linkSource=FULL_TEXT&linkLocation=Reference
TM was significantly associated both with the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and vector-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines that are authorized by the FDA or the EMA.
Source