Title: The effects of anti-Covid-19 vaccination in patients diagnosed with chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease: data collection from an Italian network of 6 clinical immunology centers
Abstract:
The Covid-19 vaccination campaign prioritized patients with autoimmune diseases because of the risk of severe disease if they were infected. From January 2021 to May 2023, we conducted a multicenter study with six Italian clinical immunology centers to study adverse events to vaccination in these patients. The analysis of 485 patients showed a vaccination coverage of 66.80%, a male:female ratio of 6:1, mean age 61 years. 9.88% of the population experienced adverse reactions. Lupic patients reported more vaccine adverse events than vaccinees with other diseases. In the lupic vaccinated population, the female-to-male ratio was 4.7:1, in the non-SLE disease 6.3:1. There was a significant difference when comparing the mean age of the two groups (51 years for SLE, 62 for non-SLE) and regarding the years since diagnosis was significant (15 for SLE, 11 for non-SLE). Among those who presented with adverse reactions, no SLE patients were taking therapy, unlike the non-SLE group (23.45% on any therapy); the difference in reporting of adverse reactions was significant between the two groups in favor of SLE (26.47% in SLE, 7.93% in non-SLE; p<0.001). The reactogenicity of the anti-Covid-19 vaccine in patients with chronic autoimmune diseases therefore is not higher than in the general population. However, lupus patients, regardless of treatment, reported more reports following vaccination (mild events), probably also due to the lower average age of these patients compared with the rest of the population. The results affirm the safety of vaccination in a category of patients who are often hesitant toward vaccination.
Biography:
Prof Giuseppe Murdaca has completed his PhD at the age of 35 years from Genoa University School of Medicine. He has published over 200 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member for several Journals.
