Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 16. doi: 10.1111/bcp.15280. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Several cases of herpes zoster (HZ) following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273) have been reported, and first epidemiological evidences suggest an increased risk. We used the worldwide pharmacovigilance database VigiBase to describe HZ cases following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. We performed disproportionality analyses (case/non-case statistical approach) to assess the relative risk of HZ reporting in mRNA COVID-19 vaccine recipients compared to influenza vaccine recipients and according to patient age. Until 30th June 2021, of 716,928 reports with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, we found 7,728 HZ cases. When compared to influenza vaccines, mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were associated with a significantly higher reporting of HZ (reporting odds-ratio 1.9, 95%CI [1.8-2.1]). Furthermore, we found a reduced risk of reporting HZ among under 40 year-old persons compared to older persons (reporting odds-ratio 0.39, 95%CI [0.36-0.41]). Mild and infrequent HZ reactions may occur shortly after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, at higher frequency than reported with influenza vaccination, especially in patients over 40 year-old. Further analyses are needed to confirm this risk.
PMID:35174524 | DOI:10.1111/bcp.15280
