Did it hurt? COVID-19 vaccination experience in people with multiple sclerosis

K Allen-Philbey; A Stennett; T Begum; A C Johnson; A MacDougall; S Green; R Dobson; G Giovannoni; S Gnanapavan; M Marta; I Smets; B P Turner; D Baker; J Mathews; K Schmierer

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2022.104022

Did it hurt? COVID-19 vaccination experience in people with multiple sclerosis

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Sep:65:104022. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.104022. Epub 2022 Jul 3.

Authors

K Allen-Philbey¹, A Stennett², T Begum³, A C Johnson³, A MacDougall⁴, S Green³, R Dobson², G Giovannoni⁵, S Gnanapavan¹, M Marta¹, I Smets¹, B P Turner¹, D Baker⁶, J Mathews³, K Schmierer⁷

Affiliations

¹ The Blizard Institute, Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery & Trauma, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK; Clinical Board Medicine (Neuroscience), The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
² Clinical Board Medicine (Neuroscience), The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK; Preventive Neurology Unit, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, UK.
³ Clinical Board Medicine (Neuroscience), The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
⁴ Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
⁵ The Blizard Institute, Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery & Trauma, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK; Clinical Board Medicine (Neuroscience), The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK; Preventive Neurology Unit, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, UK.
⁶ The Blizard Institute, Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery & Trauma, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK.
⁷ The Blizard Institute, Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery & Trauma, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK; Clinical Board Medicine (Neuroscience), The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK. Electronic address: k.schmierer@qmul.ac.uk.

Abstract

Background: Current guidelines recommend vaccination against SARS-CoV2 for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The long-term review of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in pwMS is limited.

Methods: Service re-evaluation. PwMS using the MS service at Barts Health National Health Service Trust were sent questionnaires via email to report symptoms following first and second COVID-19 vaccinations (n = 570). A retrospective review of electronic health records was conducted for clinical and safety data post-vaccination(s); cut-off was end of September 2021. Separate logistic regressions were carried out for symptoms experienced at each vaccination. Two sets of regressions were fitted with covariates: (i) Disease-modifying therapy type and (ii) patient characteristics for symptoms experienced.

Results: 193/570 pwMS responded. 184 pwMS had both vaccinations. 144 received the AZD1222 and 49 the BNT162b2 vaccine. 87% and 75% of pwMS experienced any symptoms at first and second vaccinations, respectively. The majority of symptoms resolved within a short timeframe. No severe adverse effects were reported. Two pwMS subsequently died; one due to COVID-19 and one due to aspiration pneumonia. Males were at a reduced risk of reporting symptoms at first vaccination. There was evidence that pwMS in certain treatment groups were at reduced risk of reporting symptoms at second vaccination only.

Conclusions: Findings are consistent with our preliminary data. Symptoms post-vaccination were similar to the non-MS population and were mostly temporary. It is important to inform the MS community of vaccine safety data.

Keywords: COVID-19; Multiple sclerosis; SARS-CoV2; Vaccination.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

BNT162 Vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccines* / adverse effects
COVID-19* / prevention & control
ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
Humans
Male
Multiple Sclerosis*
RNA, Viral
SARS-CoV-2
State Medicine
Vaccination / adverse effects

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines
RNA, Viral
ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
BNT162 Vaccine