Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-associated Vasculitis after COVID-19 Vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech

Intern Med. 2022;61(19):2925-2929. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.9807-22. Epub 2022 Oct 1.

Abstract

The extent of rare side effects of mRNA vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear. Several cases of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) following COVID-19 vaccination have been reported. We herein report a 72-year-old man who presented with a fever after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. He was diagnosed with acute kidney injury due to myeloperoxidase-ANCA-associated vasculitis and was treated with intermittent hemodialysis, high-dose prednisolone, and intravenous rituximab. His general symptoms and renal impairment subsequently improved. When systemic symptoms are prolonged or renal abnormalities appear after COVID-19 vaccination, the possibility of AAV should be considered.

Keywords: ANCA-associated vasculitis; COVID-19 vaccine; rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis* / chemically induced
  • Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • COVID-19 Vaccines* / adverse effects
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Peroxidase
  • Prednisolone
  • Rituximab
  • Vaccination / adverse effects

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Peroxidase
  • Prednisolone
  • Rituximab