Safety of COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of Brazilian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Autores: Bianca Lins Alencar, Valentina Busato, Renato Nisihara

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Objectives: to study the side effects and the risk of disease flare after COVID-19 vaccination in Brazilian patients with Systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Materials and methods: this retrospective study investigated a sample of 101 SLE pa-tients for disease activity through the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) prior to and af-ter two vaccine doses against SARS-COv-2. Side effects after vaccination were recorded.

Results: in this sample, patients receiving two doses of the same vaccine were 10.3% for CoronaVAc; 42.2% for Pfizer, and 47.3% for Astra-Zeneca. Side effects were detected in 76.2% of them, and most of them were mild and moderate; the most common were local pain (62.3%), headache (36.6%), and fatigue (34.6%). The SLEDAI prior to the first dose and after the second dose did not change significantly (p=0.68). Only 4.1% of individuals had increased in SLEDAI ≥than 3 points.

Conclusions: vaccination against COVID-19 was well tolerated and safe in SLE patients.