Positive perception of COVID-19 vaccination in HAE: No significant impact of vaccination on disease course

BACKGROUND: There are some adverse effects with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, but the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on attacks in hereditary angioedema (HAE) is not well defined.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the influence of COVID-19 vaccination on the course of HAE.

METHOD: The COVID-19 vaccination status was determined in 140 adult patients with HAE.

The number and severity of attacks recorded from patients' diaries were evaluated at four different periods, comprising 1 month before the first dose, the period between the first and the second doses of COVID-19 vaccine in all the patients, the period between the second dose and the third doses in those who received three doses, and 1 month after the last vaccination dose.

The disease and attack severities were assessed with the disease severity score (DSS) and 10-point visual analog scale, respectively.

The patients were divided into two main groups as group 1 (those who had at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccines [n = 114]) and group 2 (those who had no vaccination [n = 26]).

Only Sinovac and Biontech, which were only approved in Turkey.

RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation DSS was significantly higher in the patients who experienced an attack after vaccination within 48 hours (6.61 ± 1.88 versus 4.14 ± 1.69; p < 0.001).

Long-term prophylaxis was less common in the patients with an increased number of attacks (n = 5 (27.8%) versus n = 54 (56.3%); p = 0.027).

The number of patients with less than a high school education was higher in group 2 (n = 23 [88.5%]) than in group 1 (n = 26 [3.1%]) (p < 0.001).

The number of patients who had concerns about the triggering of a vaccine-induced HAE attack or about the possible vaccine adverse effects was higher in group 2 (n = 26 [100%]) than in group 1 (n = 74 [64.9%]).

CONCLUSION: It seems that COVID-19 vaccination does not increase HAE attacks regardless of the type of the vaccines.

We recommend that HAE activity should be under control before COVID-19 vaccination, and the patients should be well informed about the safety of the vaccines.