(HealthDay News) — Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease do not have an increased risk for adverse events after the mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, according to a study published online May 25 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Gregory J. Botwin, from the Inflammatory Bowel and Immunobiology Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and colleagues examined post-mRNA COVID-19 vaccination adverse events in a cohort of 246 adults with inflammatory bowel disease participating in a longitudinal vaccine registry. Participants had completed an adverse events assessment following at least one mRNA vaccine dose (141 and 105, respectively, received BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna).
The researchers found that the overall frequency of adverse events was 39 and 62% after dose 1 and dose 2, respectively, with the most common systemic adverse events being fatigue/malaise (23 and 45% after dose 1 and 2, respectively), headache/dizziness (14 and 34%, respectively), and fever/chills (5 and 29%, respectively); these frequencies were similar to those reported in the general population. Most adverse events were nonsevere and resolved in less than two days. The frequency of adverse events was higher for those younger than 50 years relative to older individuals and for those with prior COVID-19 history. Individuals receiving biologic therapy were less likely to report adverse events.
“We believe that our results will be applicable to patients with other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases as these drugs are widely used in dermatology, neurology, rheumatology and other disciplines,” a coauthor said in a statement.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer.
