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. 2023 Jan 17;179(4):265–281. doi: 10.1016/j.neurol.2022.11.004

Table 2.

Demographic and clinical features of MS and NMOSD patients following COVID-19 vaccination.

Author Age/gender Comorbidities Name of vaccine Time interval/dose MS/NMOSD Vaccine side effects MS/NMO first signs and symptoms Laboratory findings CSF findings MRI/radiology Acute treatment Main treatment Outcome
Tagliaferri et al. [37] 32/F None Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 1 week/1st MS Left arm
Soreness at the site of injection
Fevers
Chills
Motor weakness in the right hand
Word slurring
Gait instability
Diffuse right-sided weakness in the upper and lower extremities
WBC count: 11.3 109/liter
ESR: 24 mm/hour
CRP: normal
Vitamin D: 12.2 nmol/liter
Myelin basic protein: 13.3 pg/mL
OCB: (0–3)
Brain CT: Normal
Brain MRI: Multiple round hyperintensities in the white matter with restricted diffusion in the left pons
MRA: Normal
MRV: Normal
IVMP 1g for 3 days
Prednisone 60mg for 11 days
NR Recovered
Fujimori et al. [35] 40/F Left peripheral facial nerve palsy Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 2 weeks/2nd MS Fever Numbness and sensory Disturbance in the right hand and shoulder AQP4 Ab: negative
MOG Ab: negative
Leukocytes: elevated
Protein level: normal
Glucose level: normal
OCB: positive
Myelin basic protein: 146 pg/mL
IL-6 level: 2.4 pg/mL
Brain MRI: Several periventricular or subcortical T2 Hyperintense white matter lesions Spinal MRI: T2 Hyperintense right lesion with Gd enhancement at the level of C5/C6 IVMP 1g for 3 days NR Recovered
Badrawi et al. [34] 34/M None Sputnik V
(Gam-COVID-Vac)
3 weeks/2nd NMOSD NR Confusional state
Imbalance
Headache dizziness
AQP4 Ab: positive
SARS-CoV-2 Abs (IgG): detected
Normal Brain MRI: Extensive periventricular and/or peri-ependymal signal changes around the ventricles, along with periaqueductal gray matter, Signal changes in the optic chiasma, thalamus, and corpus callosum
Spinal MRI: normal
PLEX for 5 sessions NR Recovered
Fujikawa et al. [38] 46/F Vitamin B12 deficiency Moderna (mRNA-1273) 10 days/1st NMOSD NR Pain in shoulder Bilateral lower-extremity weakness
Urinary retention
AQP4 Ab: Negative Normal Brain MRI: normal
Cervical spine MRI: Increased, Non-expansile intramedullary signal involving the central gray matter at C6-T2 without enhancement
Thoracic spine: normal
IVMP 1g for 3 days
Prednisone
NR Recovered
Havla et al. [39] 28/F NR Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 6 days/1st MS NR Left abdominal neuropathic pain
Sensory impairment
Hypoesthesia of right abdominal wall and genital regions
Left leg paresis
SARS-CoV-2 Abs (IgG): Detected Mild pleocytosis: 7 cells/μL
OCB: positive
Brain MRI: Multiple lesions (>20) Partially confluent lesions with spatial dissemination but without enhancement
Spinal MRI: Contrast-enhancing lesion at T6 level
T2 hyperintense lesion at level T6 and T7
Contrast enhancement after application of gadolinium is consistent with an active lesion
IVMP 1g for 5 days, followed by the second cycle of IVMP 2g for 5 days PLEX NR Recovered
Watad et al. [40] 45/F Hypothyroidism Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 1 week/1st MS NR Left leg weakness
Lower limbs distal numbness
CBC: Normal OCB: Positive Brain MRI: Multiple PV white matter changes IVMP 1g for 5 days
Prednisolone 60 mg daily
NR Recovered
Khayat-Khoei et al. [32] 26/F NR Moderna (mRNA-1273) 2 weeks/2nd MS None Mild blurring
Pain with eye movement OD
ANA: negative
C-ANCA: negative
Lyme titer: negative
SARS-CoV-2 Abs (IgG): detected
Cell count: elevated
IgG index: elevated
OCB: negative
Brain MRI: Multiple T2 hyperintense periventricular, subcortical, and posterior fossa
Spinal MRI: T2 hyperintense focal lesions at C1-2
After gadolinium administration, the spinal cord lesion at C4-5 enhanced
IVMP 1g for 5 days NR Recovered
33/M None Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 1 day/2nd NMO Arm pain Unilateral painless blurring of vision AQP4 Ab: negative OCB: positive
IgG index: Elevated
Brain MRI: Periventricular and juxtacortical T2 lesions, one of the lesions ring-enhances with GD
Multiple T2 hyperintense white matter lesions with a single gadolinium-enhancing lesion consistent with an active demyelinating process
Spinal MRI: A T2 hyperintense lesion, no cervical spinal cord enhancing lesions were seen
IVMP 1g for 3 days
Prednisone
NR Recovered
64/M Sjogren's disease Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 18 days/1st NMOSD None Pain
Paresthesia
Numbness
Weakness
Sphincter dysfunction
Balance/gait difficulty
AQP4 Ab: positive AQP4 Ab: positive
OCB: negative
Brain MRI: T2 white matter signal abnormalities in the corpus callosum with extension into the left frontal and parietal white matter
Multiple T2 white matter signal abnormalities in the corpus callosum with extension into the left frontal and parietal white matter
Spinal MRI: Minimally expansile central spinal cord T2 hyperintensity extending from the cervical cord to the conus, with patchy areas of Gd enhancement, consistent with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis
IVMP 1g for 3 days
PLEX
Rituximab Recovered
Chen et al. [41] NA/F None NR 3 days/1st NMOSD Fever
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Cough
Dizziness
Dizziness
Unsteady walking
Weakened pharyngeal reflex
Weakness in limb muscle
AQP4 Ab: positive
ANA: positive
SSA: positive
SSB: positive, Ro52: positive
p-ANCA Abs: positive
WBC count: 31 per million Brain MRI: Area postrema and bilateral hypothalamus lesions without Gd enhancement on FLAIR sequence
Optic MRI: normal
Spinal MRI: normal
IVMP 500 mg for 5 days NR Recovered
Mathew et al. [42] 24/F History of left facial numbness, left upper limb weakness AstraZeneca
(ChAdOx1 nCoV-19)
5 days/2nd MS NR Paresthesia in left upper and lower limbs Lhermitte's sign NR NR Brain MRI: Two lesions
Spinal MRI: One lesion with enhancement
IVMP 1g for 5 days NR Recovered
Toljan et al. [43] 29/F Migraine Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 1 day/1st MS NR Weakness and numbness in left leg
Paresthesia in right arm
NR IgG index: elevated
OCB: unmatched bands
Pleocytosis (8 leukocytes/μL)
Brain MRI: Several periventricular and juxtacortical white matter lesions with one enhancing lesion in the right centrum semiovale
Brain: T2-weighted hyperintensities
T1-weighted hypointense lesion which showed contrast enhancement
IVMP 1g for 5 days Ocrelizumab Recovered
37/M None Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 3 days/1st MS NR Left hand paresthesia AQP4 Ab: negative, MOG Ab: negative NR Brain MRI: Multiple periventricular non-enhancing T2/FLAIR hyperintensities
Spinal MRI: A C3-C4 cord T2 and STIR hyperintense lesion
T2/FLAIR hyperintensities on axial and sagittal projections, as well as T2-
Weighted hyperintense lesions, compatible with multifocal demyelination
Prednisone 600mg for 3 days NR NR
41/M None Moderna (mRNA-1273) 30 days/2nd MS NR Bilateral foot numbness AQP4 Ab: negative, MOG Ab: negative IgG index: elevated
OCB: positive
Pleocytosis (104 leukocytes/μL)
Brain MRI: Multiple intracranial periventricular and juxtacortical T2/FLAIR hyperintensities, with most lesions demonstrating contrast enhancement
Spinal MRI: Multifocal enhancing and non-enhancing T2 and STIR dorsal cord hyperintensities
Prominent T2/FLAIR hyperintensities with contrast enhancement are seen on axial projection, with additional multifocal STIR hyperintensities on sagittal image
IVMP 1g for 5 days
PLEX for 5 sessions Prednisolone
NR Recovered
46/F History of unilateral optic neuritis Moderna (mRNA-1273) NR/1st MS NR Right leg numbness AQP4 Ab: Negative, MOG Ab: Negative IgG index: Elevated Pleocytosis (8 leukocytes/μL) Brain MRI: periventricular and juxtacortical intracranial lesions with enhancement of the periventricular lesion
Spinal MRI:Multiple enhancing lesions
Sagittal T2/FLAIR sequence projection demonstrates typical MS lesions with associated contrast enhancement and accompanying spinal cord lesions seen on T2-weighted sequence
IVMP for 5 days NR NR
43/F NR Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 35 days/2nd MS NR Weakness in right arm
Numbness in right periorbital and palatal
Cell count: Normal OCB: Positive Brain MRI: Enhancing and non-enhancing temporal and callosal periventricular ovoid lesions, and enhancement of the proximal right trigeminal nerve
Axial T2/FLAIR sequence demonstrated multiple periventricular and juxtacortical lesion
IVMP for 3 days Rituximab Recovered
Anamnart et al. [44] 26/F None Sinovac (CoronaVac) 10 days/1st NMOSD Watery diarrhea
Fatigue
Weakness in left leg
Numbness in left arm and leg
AQP4 Ab: positive OCB: negative Brain MRI: normal
Spinal MRI: Focal intramedullary swelling with T2 hyperintense signal and heterogeneous enhancement of left-sided cervical cord at C4-C5 levels
IVMP
PLEX
Rituximab Recovered
46/F None AstraZeneca
(ChAdOx1 nCoV-19)
10 days/1st NMOSD None Weakness in right leg
Hypoesthesia in right side
AQP4 Ab: Positive OCB: Negative Brain MRI: Abnormal T2 hyperintense signals and corresponding T1 hypointense signals with inhomogeneous gadolinium enhancement at the right lateral aspect of the medulla and the subependymal periventricular area along the right lateral ventricle
Spinal MRI: Focal intramedullary T2 hyperintense signal with heterogeneous enhancement of right-sided cervical cord at C2-C3 levels
IVMP for 5 days
Prednisolone
Azathioprine Recovered
Caliskan et al. [45] 43/F None Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) 1 day/2nd NMOSD NR Blurred vision
Movement-associated pain in the right eye
AQP4 Ab: positive
MOG Ab: negative
OCB: positive
Mononuclear leukocytes
Protein: elevated
Glucose: normal
Atypical cells: none
Brain MRI: right optic neuritis
Spinal MRI: normal
IVMP for 10 days Rituximab Recovered

EDSS: expanded disability status scale, CSF: cerebrospinal fluid, MRI: magnetic resonance imaging, F: female, M:male, mRNA: messenger ribonucleic acid, MOG: myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, WBC: white B cell, ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP: c-reactive protein, IVMP: IV methylprednisolone, RAPD: relative afferent pupillary defect, PLEX: Plasmapheresis, ANA: antinuclear antibodies, ANCA: antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, OCB: oligoclonal band, IL: interleukin, OD: oculus dextrus, MRA: Magnetic Resonance, Angiography, MRV: Magnetic Resonance Venography, PV: Partial volume, GAD + Gd: gadolinium, NR: not reported, TPE: therapeutic plasma exchange, STIR: Short-tau inversion recovery. Normal ranges of: WBC: 4.5-11 × 103, ESR: 0-20, Vitamin D: 30–100 ng/mL.