Adverse Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia: An Observational Study from a Tertiary Care Center in Punjab, India

Overview

Journal Acta Haematol

Specialty Hematology

Date 2023 Jun 18

PMID 37331336

Authors

Shruti Kakkar

Evani Jain

Anirudh Jain

Priyanka Dewan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is the most important weapon in the arsenal in the battle against COVID-19. There is concern about an increased risk of adverse effects in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), which affects vaccine acceptance. A predesigned questionnaire was used to evaluate adverse effects (local/systemic within 90 days after vaccination) in participants >18 years of age with TDT. A total of 100 patients received 129 vaccine doses. The mean age of the patients was 24.3 ± 5.7 years, and M:F ratio of 1.6:1. Covishield (Serum Institute of India) was administered to 89% of the participants, and Covaxin (Bharat Biotech Limited) to 11% of the participants. Adverse effects were documented in 62% of the respondents and were more pronounced after the first dose (52%) compared to the second dose (9%). The most frequent adverse effects were pain at the injection site (43%) and fever (37%). All adverse effects were mild and none of the participants required hospitalization. There were no differences in adverse effects among different vaccines, in the presence or absence of comorbidities, blood groups, or ferritin levels. The SARS-CoV-2 vaccine appears to be safe for patients with TDT.

References

Mungmunpuntipantip R, Wiwanitkit V . Sinopharm Vaccine, SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections and Hemoglobinopathies. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. 2022; 14(1):e2022060. PMC: 9266777. DOI: 10.4084/MJHID.2022.060. View

Delaporta P, Terpos E, Solomou E, Gumeni S, Nitsa E, Apostolakou F . Immune response and adverse events after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in adult patients with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia. Br J Haematol. 2022; 197(5):576-579. PMC: 9111727. DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18146. View

Farmakis D, Giakoumis A, Cannon L, Angastiniotis M, Eleftheriou A . COVID-19 and thalassaemia: A position statement of the Thalassaemia International Federation. Eur J Haematol. 2020; 105(4):378-386. PMC: 7361751. DOI: 10.1111/ejh.13476. View

Kakkar S, Anand V, Dewan P, Sobti P . COVID 19 pandemic and lockdown: A double whammy for patients with thalassemia. Acta Biomed. 2021; 92(3):e2021212. PMC: 8343757. DOI: 10.23750/abm.v92i3.10880. View

Samara A, Boutlas S, Janho M, Gourgoulianis K, Sotiriou S . COVID-19 Severity and Mortality after Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in Central Greece. J Pers Med. 2022; 12(9). PMC: 9502864. DOI: 10.3390/jpm12091423. View

Chandani S, Jani D, Sahu P, Kataria U, Suryawanshi S, Khubchandani J . COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in India: State of the nation and priorities for research. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2021; 18:100375. PMC: 8523306. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100375. View

Lee J, Chieng W, Lau S, Tan C . COVID-19 and Hemoglobinopathies: A Systematic Review of Clinical Presentations, Investigations, and Outcomes. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021; 8:757510. PMC: 8549676. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.757510. View

Karimi M, Haghpanah S, Azarkeivan A, Matin S, Safaei A, De Sanctis V . Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Severity in Patients with Thalassemias: A Nationwide Iranian Experience. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. 2021; 13(1):e2021008. PMC: 7813286. DOI: 10.4084/MJHID.2021.008. View

Kongkiatkamon S . Acute haemolysis following COVID-19 vaccination in a thalassaemic patient with G6PD deficiency. Br J Haematol. 2022; 198(2):221. PMC: 9111653. DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18204. View

10.

Belsky J, Carroll W, Feliciano A, Jacob S . Side effects following COVID-19 vaccination in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2022; 70(3):e30193. PMC: 9880642. DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30193. View

11.

Mohandas S, Yadav P, Shete-Aich A, Abraham P, Vadrevu K, Sapkal G . Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of BBV152, whole virion inactivated SARS- CoV-2 vaccine candidates in the Syrian hamster model. iScience. 2021; 24(2):102054. PMC: 7829205. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102054. View

12.

Karimi M, Zarei T, Haghpanah S, Azarkeivan A, Naderi M, Matin S . Efficacy and Safety of Sinopharm Vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 and breakthrough infections in Iranian Patients with Hemoglobinopathies: A Preliminary Report. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. 2022; 14(1):e2022026. PMC: 8992638. DOI: 10.4084/MJHID.2022.026. View

13.

Beatty A, Peyser N, Butcher X, Cocohoba J, Lin F, Olgin J . Analysis of COVID-19 Vaccine Type and Adverse Effects Following Vaccination. JAMA Netw Open. 2021; 4(12):e2140364. PMC: 8696570. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.40364. View

14.

Kaur R, Dutta S, Bhardwaj P, Charan J, Dhingra S, Mitra P . Adverse Events Reported From COVID-19 Vaccine Trials: A Systematic Review. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2021; 36(4):427-439. PMC: 7997788. DOI: 10.1007/s12291-021-00968-z. View

15.

Sgherza N, Zucano S, Vitucci A, Palma A, Tarantini F, Campanale D . Prospective, Case-Control Study of Serological Response after Two Doses of BNT162b2 anti-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine in Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemic Patients. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. 2022; 14(1):e2022056. PMC: 9266603. DOI: 10.4084/MJHID.2022.056. View