Abstract
Background: Studies of flares of autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination are limited by small sample size, short follow up or at risk of selection bias.
Methods: A national retrospective cohort study of consecutive AIIRD patients ≥12 years old, across 8 hospitals who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Patients were included from the date of 1st vaccine dose and censored at the time of flare or on the date of the clinic visit at least 3 months from cohort entry, whichever came first. Predictors of flare were determined by Cox proportional hazards analysis.
Findings: 4627 patients (73% Chinese, 71% female) of median (IQR) age 61 (48, 70) years were included; 42% Rheumatoid arthritis, 14% Systemic lupus erythematosus and 11% Psoriatic arthritis. 47% were in remission, 41% low disease activity, 10% moderate disease activity and 1% in high disease activity. 18% patients flared, of which 11.7% were within the 3-month period of interest. 11.8% patients improved. Median (IQR) time-to-flare was 60 (30, 114) days. 25% flares were self-limiting, 61% mild-moderate and 14% severe. Older patients (53-65 years and >66 years) had a lower risk of flare [HR 0.6 (95% CI 0.5-0.8) and 0.7 (0.6-0.8) respectively]. Patients with inflammatory arthritis and with active disease had a higher risk of flare [HR 1.5 (1.2-2.0) and 1.4 (1.2-1.6), respectively]. Treatment with conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), immunosuppression and prednisolone was also associated with an increased risk of flare [HR 1.5 (1.1-2), 1.2 (1.1-1.4) and 1.5 (1.2-1.8) for prednisolone ≤7.5 mg respectively].
Interpretation: There was a moderately high rate of AIIRD flares after mRNA vaccination but also improvement in several patients. Severe flares and hospitalisation were rare. Thus, vaccination remains safe and highly recommended.
Ma M, Santosa A, Fong W, Chew LC, Low AH, Law A, Poh YJ, Yeo SI, Leung YY, Ng VW, Koh JZ, Tay SH, Mak A, Teng GG, Xu C, Tang JG, Kong KO, Angkodjojo S, Goh WR, Chuah TY, Roslan NE, Arkachaisri T, Teh KL, Sriranganathan M, Tan TC, Phang KF, Yap QV, Chan YH, Cheung PP, Lahiri M. Post-mRNA vaccine flares in autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases: Results from the COronavirus National Vaccine registry for ImmuNe diseases SINGapore (CONVIN-SING). J Autoimmun. 2022 Nov 29;134:102959. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102959. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36473406.
