Abstract Details

Title No Significant Increase of Guillain-Barré Syndrome after COVID-19 Vaccination in Adults: A Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Study

Topic Neuromuscular and Clinical Neurophysiology (EMG)

Presentation(s) P10 - Poster Session 10 (8:00 AM-9:00 AM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 11-001

Background

On July 12, 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a new warning that Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine could increase the risk of developing GBS.

Objective To investigate whether there is an association between Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and COVID-19 vaccination.

Design/Methods The reporting rate of adult GBS after COVID-19 vaccination, ascertained with Brighton criteria, was compared to the rate after Influenza and all other vaccinations: pre-COVID (January 2019-August 2019), pre-vaccine (April 2020-November 2020); and the vaccine period (December 2020-July 2021).

Results 513, 2, and 13 patients reported GBS after COVID-19, Influenza and all other vaccinations during the COVID-19 vaccination time period, respectively. The reporting rate of GBS after COVID-19 vaccination was significantly higher than after Influenza and other vaccinations (26.5, 0.15, 1.21 per 10 million, p<0.0001). However, the rate is within the incidence range of GBS in the general population. Using self-controlled and case centered analysis, there is a significant difference in the reporting rate of GBS after COVID-19 vaccination between the risk period and control period (p<0.0001). The reporting rate of GBS after the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was significantly higher than after Moderna and Pfizer (p<0.0001). Similar results were obtained when all patients, regardless of Brighton criteria, were included.

Conclusions Although the incidence of GBS after COVID-19 vaccination was not statistically different than that of the general population, the increased reporting of GBS within the first 12 weeks after COVID-19 vaccination (more so than with other vaccinations) suggests that some cases of GBS are temporally associated with COVID-19 vaccination. However, there is a reduction in the reporting rate of GBS after other vaccines (compared to reporting rates pre-COVID), highlighting limitations inherent in any passive surveillance system. These findings warrant continuous analysis of GBS after COVID-19 vaccination. Further controlled studies are needed to investigate the association of GBS after COVID-19 vaccination.

Authors/Disclosures
Mustafa Jaffry PRESENTER	Mr. Jaffry has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
Kranthi K. Mandava	Mr. Mandava has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Ayatalla Ahmed, MBBS	Dr. Ahmed has nothing to disclose.
Jeffrey M. Kornitzer, MD (New Jersey Pediatric Neuroscience Institute (NJPNI))	Dr. Kornitzer has nothing to disclose.
Nizar Souayah, MD, FAAN (NJMS)	Dr. Souayah has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care.