Study By Lausanne University Hospital In Switzerland Finds That Moderna COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Causes Chronic Urticaria In Many!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Apr 04, 2024 3 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours, 29 minutes ago
COVID-19 News: The swift development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines have been pivotal in combating the pandemic. Among these, the Moderna mRNA-1273 (Spikevax) and Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 (Comirnaty) vaccines were widely administered in Switzerland. However, concerns have arisen regarding adverse effects associated with these vaccines, notably new cases of chronic urticaria (CU), a condition characterized by persistent hives or angioedema lasting more than six weeks. This
COVID-19 News report delves into a cohort study conducted by the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) in Switzerland, shedding light on the potential link between Moderna's mRNA vaccines and CU development.
Background and Objectives
The study, led by the Division of Immunology and Allergy at CHUV, aimed to evaluate CU occurrences post-COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. Factors such as prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, atopic predisposition, and immunoglobulin E (IgE) response to the vaccine were investigated.
Methods
The research team monitored individuals in the Canton of Vaud who developed CU after COVID-19 vaccination through surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023. Blood tests were performed on fifty CU patients and compared with 135 individuals without CU history. Basophil activation tests (BAT) were utilized to detect anti-vaccine IgE, while anti-SARS-CoV-2 humoral response and IgE against common allergens were assessed.
Results
CU onset typically occurred around 10 days post-vaccination, particularly following the Spikevax booster, predominantly affecting middle-aged individuals, with females constituting 66% of cases. Inducible CU forms, especially dermographism, were prevalent. Notably, CU remained active in over half of the cases in 2023. BAT positivity, indicating vaccine IgE sensitization, correlated with higher anti-spike neutralizing activities, especially in younger individuals.
Discussion
The study highlighted that CU development post-mRNA vaccination was not directly linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection or atopic predisposition. Notably, four CU patients safely received subsequent mRNA vaccine doses without CU recurrence, suggesting an indirect vaccine-triggered CU in predisposed individuals. The research emphasized the importance of monitoring and understanding adverse effects post-vaccination.
CU Features and Vaccine Association
CU patients, predominantly middle-aged females, exhibited inducible CU forms post-mRNA vaccination, notably after the Spikevax booster. The interval between vaccination and CU onset averaged around 10 days, indicating a rapid immune response triggering CU. Dermographism, a common inducible CU type, was prevalent, underlining the diverse manifestations of vaccine-induced CU.
BAT and IgE Sensitization
Basophil activation tests revealed a significant association between BAT positivity and higher anti-spike neutralizing activities, particularly in younger age groups. This indicated a potential link between vaccine IgE sensitization and immune response potency, warranting further investigation into its clinical implications.
CU Persistence and Control
CU persistence was noted in a significant portion of cases, highlighting the chall
enges in disease control despite improvements over time. Antihistamine therapy often provided suboptimal control, necessitating enhanced management strategies for CU post-vaccination.
COVID-19 Infection vs. Vaccine Association
Contrary to expectations, there was no direct correlation between CU onset and COVID-19 infection. The temporal relationship between booster vaccinations, CU cases, and COVID-19 waves indicated an indirect association, with vaccine administration preceding CU peaks.
Vaccine Sensitization and Atopy
The study found no direct association between CU onset and atopic predisposition, challenging previous notions linking CU to allergies. Moreover, vaccine sensitization, particularly to Spikevax, occurred independently of atopy, emphasizing the multifactorial nature of CU development post-mRNA vaccination.
Implications and Future Research
The findings underscored the need for continued vigilance in monitoring adverse effects following mRNA vaccination, especially in predisposed individuals. Future research avenues should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of vaccine-induced CU, addressing the clinical relevance of IgE sensitization, and optimizing CU management strategies.
Conclusion
The study from Lausanne University Hospital provided valuable insights into CU development post-COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. While indirect vaccine-induced CU was observed, no direct link to COVID-19 infection or atopic predisposition was established. Continued research efforts are crucial to enhance understanding, surveillance, and management of adverse effects associated with mRNA vaccines.
The study also involved researchers from: University of Lausanne-Switzerland, Centro Pediatrico del Mendrisiotto-Switzerland, University of Geneva-Switzerland, AGORA Cancer Research Center, Lausanne-Switzerland, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne-Switzerland, Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Lugano-Switzerland, University Hospitals of Geneva-Switzerland, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté)-Switzerland and the Centre for Human Immunology Lausanne-Switzerland.
The study findings were published on a preprint server but is currently being peer reviewed for publication into Nature Journal.
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4113785/v1
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