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. 2022 Oct 20;26(1):169. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.14459

Response to commentary: Reactive synovitis of the knee joint and COVID‐19 vaccination

Eliska Vanaskova 1, Tomas Novotny 1,2,
PMCID: PMC9874589  PMID: 36263684

1. RESPONSE TO COMMENTARY

Up to today 67.9% of the world population (ie 5.37 billion people) have been vaccinated against Covid‐19 infection. 1 The majority of people assume that most of their problems have started after Covid‐19 infection or Covid‐19 vaccination. This statement is heard by many orthopedic surgeons in their everyday practice.

The aim of our case report was to present a case of reactive synovitis of the knee joint after Covid‐19 vaccination, as conformable cases have been published in the literature, and the use of ultrastructural analysis of the synovial fluid in the diagnostic process. Our case report has not been prepared as to put vaccination down or to overstate the adverse events. 2 Reactive synovitis after vaccination can occur not only after Covid‐19 vaccination but also against other infectious diseases such as influenza. 2

Orthopedic surgeons meet patients with synovitis in joints in their daily practice. One of the fundamental steps which needs to be decided is whether the synovitis is a pyogenic complication or a reactive synovitis. Ultrastructural analysis is an accessible, rapid and affordable method which can provide this decision. The results from cytological‐energy analysis are known within a few hours after the puncture so this method can promptly exclude pyogenic complications. 3 This exclusion of an ongoing inflammatory process in the synovial fluid equally clarifies this in other extravascular body fluids. 4 The cytological‐energy analysis of the synovial fluid may also be used in the diagnostic process and typing of the tumor and promote the start of treatment. 5

REFERENCES

  • 1. Mathieu E, Ritchie H, Ortiz‐Ospina E, et al. A global database of COVID‐19 vaccinations. Nat Hum Behav. 2021;5(7):947‐953. doi: 10.1038/s41562-021-01122-8 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 2. Asakawa J, Kobayashi S, Kaneda K, et al. Reactive arthritis after influenza vaccination: report of a case. Mod Rheumatol. 2005;15(4):283‐285. doi: 10.1007/s10165-005-0399-5 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 3. Vanaskova E, Kelbich P, Novotny T. Reactive synovitis of the knee joint after COVID‐19 vaccination: the first ultrastructural analysis of synovial fluid. Int J Rheum Dis. 2022. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.14411. Epub ahead of print. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 4. Kelbich P, Vachata P, Maly V, et al. Neutrophils in extravascular body fluids: cytological‐energy analysis enables rapid, reliable and inexpensive detection of purulent inflammation and tissue damage. Life (Basel, Switzerland). 2022;12(2):160. doi: 10.3390/life12020160 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 5. Vanaskova E, Kelbich P, Cegan M, Novotny T. Malignant knee joint effusion—a new dimension of laboratory diagnostics. Appl Sci. 2022;12:994. doi: 10.3390/app12030994 [DOI] [Google Scholar]

Articles from International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases are provided here courtesy of Wiley

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