Abstract Details

Title Characterization and Analysis of Neurologic Adverse Events Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination

Topic Neuroepidemiology

Presentation(s) S12 - Neuroepidemiology (2:00 PM-2:12 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 006

Background

The devastating COVID-19 pandemic has led to 230 million people diagnosed and greater than 4.8 million deaths worldwide. Widespread vaccination efforts have resulted in administration of over 6 million vaccine doses to curb the significant health and socioeconomic impacts of the disease. While there are numerous reports of adverse events following COVID-19 vaccine, there is limited characterization of the spectrum of neurological AEs post-vaccination.

Objective To characterize the incidence and spectrum of neurological adverse events (AE) after COVID-19 vaccination.

Design/Methods Data was gathered from the publicly available Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a passive reporting system not implying causality. Among individuals who received the J&J, Moderna, and Pfizer vaccines from 1/1/2021-6/14/2021, 314,610 adverse events were reported and these were reviewed by Neurology trained clinicians to determine the presence of various neurological AEs (40 conditions coded).

Results 306,473,169 COVID vaccine dose were administered in the USA during the study period with 314,610 total AEs (0.10%) and 105,930 neurological AEs (0.03%) reported. J&J vaccine was associated with the most AEs (17,670, 0.15%), followed by Moderna (42656, 0.03%) and Pfizer (42267, 0.03%). On average more events were reported in women (71%) and a majority occurred after the first dose (54%). < 1 events were reported per million vaccine doses for serious neurological conditions such as Bell’s palsy (0.0007%), Guillain-Barre syndrome (0.00009%), cerebral venous thrombosis (0.00005%), transverse myelitis (0.00003%), and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (0.00006%). Overall neurological complications following vaccine were drastically lower than complications post-COVID infection (14-80%).

Conclusions Adverse neurological events following COVID-19 vaccination are extremely rare and significantly less common than adverse neurological effects following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Current evidence suggests that along with being up to 100,000 times more likely to experience a major complication from COVID infection vs. vaccine, the risk of neurological complication is up to 5000 times more likely from infection itself.

Authors/Disclosures
Abhilasha P. Boruah (Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine) PRESENTER	Ms. Boruah has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Fan Kee Hoo	No disclosure on file
Alla Borisovna Guekht, PhD (Centre of Psychoneurology Named By Solovyeva)	The institution of Prof. Guekht has received research support from Russian Science Foundation .
Marianna Spatola, MD, PhD (FUNDACIÓ DE RECERCA BIOMEDICA CLÍNIC IDIBAPS)	The institution of Dr. Spatola has received research support from Spanish National Health Institute (Carlos III). The institution of Dr. Spatola has received research support from Spanish National Institute of Health - Miguel Servet Grant.
Ismael Calandri, MD (FLENI)	Dr. Calandri has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
Tissa Wijeratne, OAM MD PhD, FAAN (C/O Prof Sisira Siribaddana , Dean , Faculty of Medicine)	Dr. Wijeratne has nothing to disclose.
Elyce Warburton, MBBS (Hons) (Western Health)	Dr. Warburton has nothing to disclose.
Mohamed Fahmy Doheim (Alexandria Faculty of Medicine)	Mr. Doheim has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Kiran Thakur, MD, FAAN (Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons)	The institution of Dr. Thakur has received research support from Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nicholas Mulchan, MD	Dr. Mulchan has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
Lindsay Tetreault, MD, PhD	Dr. Tetreault has nothing to disclose.
James J. Sejvar, MD, FAAN (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)	Dr. Sejvar has nothing to disclose.
Simon Faissner (St. Josef-Hospital, Klinikum Der Ruhr-University)	Simon Faissner has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for Biogen. Simon Faissner has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Roche. Simon Faissner has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for BMS. Simon Faissner has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Novartis. The institution of Simon Faissner has received research support from DMSG. The institution of Simon Faissner has received research support from Novartis. The institution of Simon Faissner has received research support from Lead Discovery.
	No disclosure on file
Jessica Hunter, MD	Dr. Hunter has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
Arina A. Tamborska, MD (Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences; University of Liverpoo)	Dr. Tamborska has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
Guillermo R. Delgado-Garcia, MD, MSc (University of Calgary - Alberta Health Services)	Dr. Delgado-Garcia has received research support from Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (Mexico). Dr. Delgado-Garcia has received research support from Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (Mexico). Dr. Delgado-Garcia has a non-compensated relationship as a Editorial Team Member with Neurology Resident & Fellow Section that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Delgado-Garcia has a non-compensated relationship as a Editorial Board Member with Brain and Life en Espanol that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Delgado-Garcia has a non-compensated relationship as a Editorial Board Member with Neurology Clinical Practice that is relevant to AAN interests or activities.
Nina Singh	Ms. Singh has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Nana Y. Kyei-Frimpong, MD (37 Military Hospital)	Dr. Kyei-Frimpong has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
Jennifer A. Frontera, MD (NYU Langone Health)	Dr. Frontera has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for FirstKindMedical. Dr. Frontera has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Physician Education Resource. The institution of Dr. Frontera has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. Frontera has received research support from Alexion. Dr. Frontera has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care.